Final answer:
Guyots were once active volcanoes flattened by wave erosion. They sink and are eroded over time by waves, resulting in their flat tops. This geological process highlights the dynamic nature of the Earth's surface, affected by both volcanic and erosional forces.
Step-by-step explanation:
Guyots were once active volcanoes whose tops were flattened and leveled by wave erosion. When the volcanic activity ceases, the volcanic island or seamount begins to sink and erode. The flat top of a guyot, also known as a tablemount, is due to wave action that erodes the top of the seamount to a flat level, much like cutting the top off a soft-boiled egg. Over long periods, the sinking and erosion process levels the top of the volcano, which may eventually be submerged beneath the sea surface, leaving the guyot flat-topped.
It is important to understand the geological forces that influence the Earth's landscape, including the formation of guyots. Other processes, such as lava flows, create new landforms by hardening into rock, while tectonic and volcanic forces could crack the crust, leading to the formation of new features. Moreover, terrain can also be shaped by erosion, such as the gullies carved by flowing water or glaciers revealing bare rock.