Which is the subducting plate along a subduction boundary?

Subduction zones are where the cold oceanic lithosphere sinks back into the mantle and is recycled. They are found at convergent plate boundaries, where the oceanic lithosphere of one plate converges with the less dense lithosphere of another plate.

What is a subducting plate boundary?

Subduction is a geological process that occurs at converging boundaries of tectonic plates, where one plate moves beneath another and is forced to sink due to high gravitational potential energy into the mantle. Regions where this process takes place are known as subduction zones.

Which plate is usually the one being subducted?

When an oceanic plate converges with a continental plate, the oceanic crust will always subduct beneath the continental crust; this is because the ocean crust is naturally denser. Convergent boundaries are commonly associated with larger earthquakes and higher volcanic activity.

Which plate boundary is a subduction zone?

Convergent plate boundaries
Convergent Plate Boundaries—Subduction Zones.

How are subduction zones related to plate boundaries?

Subduction zones form where a plate of thinner (less fluid) oceanic crust descends beneath a plate of thicker (more fluid) continental crust.

How does a subducting plate cause an earthquake?

Sudden movement of the plates causes them to stick and generate an earthquake. Image: The dynamics of tsunamis generated by subduction. The overriding plate becomes pinched as it adheres to the subducting plate. This pushes the leading edge down and the rear area bulges upwards.

How are volcanoes created in the subduction zone?

These subduction zone-created volcanoes occur in one of two formations: island arc or continental arc. An island arc occurs when one oceanic plate moves under another oceanic plate. A continental arc occurs when an oceanic plate moves beneath a continental plate.

What happens to the subducting plate during subduction?

As the subducting plate moves beneath the less dense plate, some of its pieces may become trapped on the upper plate. This obstacle results in spent energy that can only be released in one way: earthquakes. Because subduction occurs along very long plate boundary lines, the potential for a very strong earthquake increases.