Final answer:
The transition between the shelf and the deep seafloor is the continental slope and rise, which connect the relatively shallow continental shelf to the deeper abyssal plains.
Step-by-step explanation:
The transition between the shelf and the deep seafloor is (b) the continental slope and rise. The continental shelf is the submerged portion of the continent's crust in relatively shallow water, extending from the shoreline to the drop-off point marked by the shelf break. Beyond this, the shelf descends steeply into the deep ocean through the continental slope and rises into the abyssal plains. The continental slope and rise serve as a link connecting the shallower continental shelf to the deep seafloor of the abyssal plains.