The Andes, which are volcanic mountains, are shown at the boundary between the South American Plate and Nazca Plate.

Question

Which events most likely occurred at the boundary between the South American Plate and the Nazca Plate? Check all that apply.
destruction of crust
creation of rift valleys
formation of a trench
separation of two plates
subduction of one plate

Answer 1

At the boundary between the South American Plate and the Nazca Plate, which is a convergent plate boundary, the following events most likely occurred:

• Destruction of crust: Yes, at this boundary, the denser Nazca Plate is subducting beneath the South American Plate, leading to the destruction of crust.

• Creation of rift valleys: No, rift valleys are typically associated with divergent plate boundaries where plates are moving apart.

• Formation of a trench: Yes, the subduction of the Nazca Plate has formed the Peru-Chile Trench, which is a characteristic feature of convergent boundaries.

• Separation of two plates: No, this is not applicable here as we are dealing with a convergent boundary, where the plates are coming together rather than separating.

• Subduction of one plate: Yes, the Nazca Plate is subducting beneath the South American Plate.

Thus, the correct options are:

• Destruction of crust
• Formation of a trench
• Subduction of one plate