What geological feature is formed at a convergent plate boundary?

Prepare for the AICE Marine Science Exam with our quiz! Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each with helpful hints and explanations. Get ready to ace your exam!

At a convergent plate boundary, two tectonic plates move toward each other, and this interaction can lead to the formation of various geological features. One significant feature that arises from this process is ocean trenches. These trenches are deep, narrow depressions in the ocean floor that form when one tectonic plate is forced beneath another in a process known as subduction. This occurs particularly when an oceanic plate collides with a heavier continental plate, causing the denser oceanic plate to dive beneath the continental plate, resulting in the creation of steep trench-like formations.

Ocean trenches are often associated with intense geological activity, including earthquakes and volcanic activity, due to the stress and strain caused by the movement of the tectonic plates. While both earthquakes and volcanoes can indeed occur at convergent boundaries, they are not the primary geological features defined in this context. Mid-ocean ridges, on the other hand, are associated with divergent plate boundaries, where tectonic plates move apart rather than converge. Therefore, the formation of ocean trenches is a direct outcome of the converging plates and their respective interactions, making this option the most accurate representation of a geological feature formed at such boundaries.

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