Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology (12th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0134074254
ISBN 13: 978-0-13407-425-2

Chapter 14 - Section 14.3 - Subduction and Mountain Building - Concept Checks - Page 426: 4

Answer

An accretionary wedge is a geological feature formed at convergent plate boundaries where an oceanic plate is subducting beneath a continental plate. As the oceanic plate descends into the mantle, sediments and rocks accumulate at the subduction zone due to the intense forces and friction. These sediments and rocks get scraped off the oceanic plate and accrete onto the edge of the overriding continental plate, forming a wedge-shaped pile of material. The accretionary wedge contains a mixture of materials, including marine sediments, volcanic rocks, and sometimes pieces of oceanic crust, and it contributes to the growth of continental margins.

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