can the lithosphere form trenches when the playes slide towards eachother

Answer 1

Yes, the lithosphere can form trenches when tectonic plates slide towards each other. This process is known as subduction, and it occurs at convergent plate boundaries where two plates collide. When one plate is denser than the other, it will sink beneath the less dense plate, creating a subduction zone. The sinking plate will eventually reach a depth where it is forced into the hotter, more plastic asthenosphere, causing it to melt and form magma. This process often leads to the formation of deep ocean trenches along the edges of continents or in the middle of the ocean. Examples of such trenches include the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific Ocean and the Peru-Chile Trench off the coast of South America.