Ring of Fire Quick Check
3 of 43 of 4 Items
Question
Use the diagram below to answer the question.
During the collision, the oceanic plate is bent downwards as the rocks are forced down into the mantle. This collision creates a trench between the two plates and folding at the surface of the continental plate.
Which feature forms when one plate is forced to bend and dive under the other?
(1 point)
Responses
a mid-ocean ridge
a mid-ocean ridge
a submarine volcano
a submarine volcano
a volcanic cone
a volcanic cone
a deep canyon
a trench
The feature that forms when one plate is forced to bend and dive under the other is a trench.
To answer this question, we need to understand the geological features associated with plate tectonics and the process of subduction.
The Ring of Fire is an area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. This activity is caused by the movement and interaction of lithospheric plates, which are large rigid sections of the Earth's outer shell.
When two plates collide, one may be forced to dive beneath the other, a process known as subduction. This happens because oceanic plates are denser and typically forced to sink under the less dense continental plates. As the oceanic plate is bent and forced down into the hot mantle, a deep trench is formed at the boundary between the two plates.
So, considering the options provided in the question, the feature that forms when one plate is forced to bend and dive under the other is a "trench" or "a deep canyon."