When two continental plates collide, sometimes one plate slides beneath the other in a process known as subduction.

Question

Image courtesy of the USGS

When one continental plate slides beneath another
A.
weathering and erosion work to build high plateaus and mountain ranges.
B.
material from the Earth's interior is always returned to the surface.
C.
material from the Earth's surface is returned to the interior.
D.
the process of melting returns material to the Earth's surface.

Answer 1

When one continental plate slides beneath another, the correct answer is:

C. material from the Earth's surface is returned to the interior.

During subduction, the oceanic plate (or sometimes a thinner continental plate) is forced underneath a thicker continental plate, leading to the recycling of material from the Earth's surface back into the mantle.