Compare and contrast neritic and pelagic sediment deposits. ...

[saraeharris]

Compare and contrast neritic and pelagic sediment deposits.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Describe the differences between passive and active continental margins and how these features relate to plate tectonics.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

[ms_sulzle]

Answer to Question 1

Both neritic and pelagic sediments can be biogenous or lithogenous in origin. Neritic lithogenous sediments tend to be coarse-grained and large particles in contrast to pelagic lithogenous sediments that are small particles such as abyssal clays. The majority of neritic sediments are lithogenous in origin, with biogenous, hydrogenous, and cosmogenous sediments present in very small proportion. In contrast, the majority of pelagic sediments are calcareous and siliceous oozes (biogenous sediments).

Answer to Question 2

Continental margins are shallow-water areas close to the continents and can either be classified as active or passive, depending on their proximity to plate boundaries. Passive margins are embedded within the interior of lithospheric plates and are therefore not in close proximity to any plate boundary. Passive margins usually have broad continental shelves, slopes, and rises. In contrast, active margins are associated with lithospheric plate boundaries and thus have a high degree of tectonic activity. Active margins can be either classified as convergent or transform depending upon how the plates are moving relative to each other.