Continental Margins
Types of continental margins - active and passiveA continental margin is the edge of a continent.
What makes a continent a "continent"?
Geologically speaking, a continent is a continuous piece of crust composed on "continental" rocks — rocks such as diorite, andesite, granite, rhyolite, etc.
Continents make up one of the two types of crust that occur on Earth — oceanic and continental crusts. Continental crust is thicker than oceanic crust.
A "continental" margin isn't the same thing as a "plate" margin. Look at the eastern edge of North America. Is it located in the same place as the eastern edge of the North American tectonic plate? How about the western edge of North America?
A continental margin is the edge of a continent: A plate margin is the edge of a plate. Continents and plates are not the same thing. Continental margins are relevant because many people live near coasts. Plate margins are relevant becuase that's where plate interact.
The edge of most continents extends beyond the coast. Look at Florida. Shallow marine areas less than 200 m below sea level extend far beyond the coast of the Florida peninsula.
Questions for thought
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