Question

1. use this map to answer the questions below. a. explain in a paragraph how the subduction of the oceanic crust makes the southwest coast of central america more mountainous than its northeast coast. start by explaining what subduction is and then use evidence from the map to describe its impact on the central american landscape. (5 points)

Explanation:

Subduction is the process where one tectonic plate moves under another. In Central America, the oceanic crust of the Cocos Plate is subducting beneath the continental crust of the Caribbean Plate along the southwest coast. As the denser oceanic crust sinks, it causes intense pressure and friction. This leads to the melting of the sub - ducting crust, and the molten rock rises towards the surface. The rising magma forms volcanoes and causes uplift, resulting in mountain formation. The map shows the Cocos Plate subducting under the Caribbean Plate near the southwest coast of Central America, while the northeast coast is not near a subduction zone, so it is less mountainous.

Answer:

Subduction is when one tectonic plate moves beneath another. The Cocos Plate subducting under the Caribbean Plate along Central America's southwest coast causes pressure, friction, magma rise, and uplift, forming mountains. The northeast coast lacks a subduction zone, so it is less mountainous.