What is an oceanic fracture zone?

An oceanic fracture zone refers to a step in the elevation of the seafloor that extends from transform faults. These zones typically occur where tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally. The movement along transform faults creates a series of fractures and step-like landforms in the ocean floor. This elevation change can create ridges and valleys along the seafloor, which happen due to tectonic activity, making option B the most accurate description.

Other choices focus on different features related to oceanic processes. A deep ocean trench, for example, represents areas where one tectonic plate subducts beneath another, forming a steep decline. A seafloor spreading center is associated with divergent boundaries where new oceanic crust is created, and a type of volcanic arc refers to chains of volcanoes formed above subduction zones. These do not represent the step-like elevation changes linked to fracture zones, making them less applicable in this context.