Correct Option
The correct option is Continental Shelf - Continental Slope - Deep Sea Plain - Oceanic Deeps.
Explanation
The ocean floor is characterized by four major relief divisions that follow a specific sequence from the continental margins toward the deep ocean basins. These divisions are classified based on depth, gradient, and geomorphological features.
Sequence Analysis
The correct order of the major divisions of the ocean floor from the coast towards the deep sea is as follows:
- Continental Shelf: This is the extended margin of each continent occupied by relatively shallow seas and gulfs. It is the shallowest part of the ocean, showing a very gentle gradient.
- Continental Slope: At the edge of the continental shelf, there is an abrupt change in gradient. The slope becomes much steeper, connecting the continental shelf to the deep ocean floor.
- Deep Sea Plain (Abyssal Plain): Beyond the continental slope (and the continental rise, which acts as a transition zone), lie the extensive, flat deep-sea plains. These are the flattest and smoothest regions of the ocean floor.
- Oceanic Deeps (Trenches): These are the deepest parts of the oceans. They are relatively steep-sided, narrow depressions found typically at the edges of ocean basins or associated with island arcs.
Therefore, the sequence is Continental Shelf → Continental Slope → Deep Sea Plain → Oceanic Deeps.
Key Takeaway: The bathymetric profile of the ocean floor transitions from the shallow Continental Shelf to the steep Continental Slope, followed by the flat Abyssal Plain, and finally reaches the greatest depths in Oceanic Trenches.