* Subduction Zones: One plate (the denser one) slides beneath the other (the less dense one). This process, called subduction, drags the denser plate into the mantle, where it melts due to heat and pressure.
* Magma Formation: The melted rock, called magma, is less dense than the surrounding solid rock and rises towards the surface.
* Volcanic Eruptions: Magma eventually erupts at the surface, creating volcanoes. Over time, repeated eruptions can build up a large mountain.
Types of Convergent Boundaries:
* Oceanic-Continental Convergence: An oceanic plate subducts beneath a continental plate, forming volcanoes along the continental margin. Examples: The Andes Mountains in South America.
* Oceanic-Oceanic Convergence: Two oceanic plates collide, with one subducting beneath the other. This creates volcanic island arcs. Examples: The Aleutian Islands in Alaska, the Japanese Archipelago.
Note: Volcanoes can also form at divergent plate boundaries, where plates move apart, but these are less common and tend to be smaller.
