GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -So coastal areas remain dominated by lithogenous sediment, and biogenous sediments will be more abundant in pelagic environments where there is little lithogenous input.

Detailed explanation-2: -Most deep ocean sediments are silt and mud. Most sediments form as rocks are broken down into smaller particles such as sand and clay. This process is Page 2 Unit Four Deep-Sea Sediment Coring ©Project Oceanography Spring 2002 100 called weathering. Weathering can be either mechanical or chemical.

Detailed explanation-3: -The rate of sediment deposition on continental shelves is variable, but it is almost always greater than the rate of sediment deposition in the deep ocean. Near the mouths of large rivers, 1 meter (about 3 feet) of terrigenous sediment may accumulate every 1, 000 years.

Detailed explanation-4: -Hydrogenous sediments of the deep-ocean floor predominate in regions where other sediment sources are reduced. Sediment accumulation in the deep ocean tends to be greater than near the continental margins.