How does the mantle interact with the crust at a subduction zone?
Plates move apart to form deep cracks in the crust.
Plates move towards each other to form mountains.
A plate is pulled under another plate and melts into the mantle.
Molten materials seep out when plates move away from each other.
The correct answer is: A plate is pulled under another plate and melts into the mantle.
At a subduction zone, two tectonic plates converge, and one relatively denser plate is forced underneath the other plate. This process is known as subduction. The plate that subducts is typically an oceanic plate, while the overriding plate is typically a continental plate or another oceanic plate.
As the oceanic plate subducts, it descends into the Earth's mantle. The intense pressure and increasing temperature cause the subducted plate to melt and become partially molten. This molten material then rises buoyantly through the mantle, creating volcanoes at the surface.
The interaction between the mantle and the crust at a subduction zone involves the subducted plate being pulled into the mantle and partially melting, leading to volcanic activity and the formation of mountain ranges such as the Andes in South America or the Cascades in North America.