Why is the ocean floor soft?

Factual Questions
1

I’m sure this has something to do with physics (which i did not take) but why isn’t the ocean floor “hard as a rock” due to the enormous weight of the water? I bet there is a simple answer i am just over looking.:confused:

2

Because the material that is soft and mushy on the ocean floor is porous. The weight of the water doesnt press them together because it flows around it. the particulates “settle” on the ocean bottom and their fluffiness is maintained until there is enuf stuff on top of them to push them together.

3

There’s a constant deposition of fresh silt from airborn dust and fish poop.

4

I like X~Slayer(ALE)'s answer better. Actually i realized what the answer was shortly after “submitting”.
Thanks,
:smack:

5

also, think about quicksand. hard little pieces of rock made into perfect sinkability. why? because they are in suspension.

the sand on the bottom of the ocean is the same. there’s a lot of water in the bottom of the ocean. so all the sediment (unless it has solidified into sandstone) is relatively smooshy.

guh, that’s not so clear. sorry.

jb

6

These depositions, are they given freely with legal representation?

7

Absolutely. The ocean is full of sharks :stuck_out_tongue:

8

>> I’m sure this has something to do with physics (which i did not take) but why isn’t the ocean floor “hard as a rock” due to the enormous weight of the water?

It’s the other way around. The water does not push the particles down but rather pushes them up so that a particle in the water weighs less than it does in the air. So your question should be why the fields around your home are not hard as a rock.

9

Atmospheric pressure is 30cm of mercury. Mercury is heavy. But pillows stay soft and fluffy. Air moves around the feathers. So there is 30cm of pressure on all sides. Take a pillow, put it in a plastic bag, suck the air out. Goes flat right away.

The seabed is a fluffy pillow of sediment surrounded by water.

10

This is a kinda odd question. First of all wet sand is usually soft. Now if you’re talking about hawaii where there is a lot of volcanic rock, the bottom is hard, yes.