Convergent plate boundaries involve which process?

• A. Two plates come together and crust is destroyed
• B. Two plates slide past each other without vertical movement
• C. One plate moves away from another, forming new crust
• D. A plate splits into two separate plates

Answer: (A)

Convergent plate boundaries are where two tectonic plates move toward each other. When they collide, one plate is forced beneath the other in a process called subduction, recycling crust back into the mantle and effectively destroying it. This collision can also create mountain ranges or volcanic activity on the overriding plate, along with deep earthquakes and trenches. The other options describe different boundary types: sliding past each other without vertical movement is a transform boundary; moving apart and forming new crust is a divergent boundary; and a plate splitting into two is not the typical mechanism defining convergent boundaries.