api. agilixbuzz. com Essential Question: Compare continental and oceanic landforms. The Earth is made of solid land. Some of the land is located above the Earth's water and some is located below the oceans. However, there are similarities and differences between the landforms found on the continents and those found on the ocean floor. Low lands between hills or mountains are called valleys on land, but a rift on the ocean floor. Deep valleys with high steep sides are canyons on land, but are trenches in the ocean floor. An opening in the surface from which lava flows are volcanoes on land, but seamounts or volcanic islands in the ocean. Land which rises high above the ground is a mountain range on land and a mid ocean ridge in the ocean. Wide, flat areas of land on the continent are called plains and on the ocean floor are abyssal plains. Description Continental Oceanic Valley Trench​