Examine the structural properties and hydrological characteristics of deep-sea trenches and abyssal plains: Statement I: Abyssal plains are flat, sediment-covered regions of the ocean floor situated at depths between three thousand and six thousand meters. Statement II: Ocean trenches are narrow, steep-sided depressions located exclusively along divergent plate boundaries where new oceanic crust is actively created. Which of the following is correct?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Statement I is correct because abyssal plains represent some of the flattest and smoothest areas on Earth, blanketed by thick layers of pelagic and terrigenous sediments. Statement II is incorrect because ocean trenches are formed at convergent plate boundaries where dense lithospheric plates subduct into the mantle, rather than at divergent boundaries where mid-ocean ridges form. Understanding seafloor morphology is vital for mapping tectonic plate interactions and abyssal circulation.