Destructive Plate Margin

Key Stage 4 Geography

Meaning

A destructive plate margin is a location where two tectonic plates are moving towards one another and eventually meet and one is pushed under the other in a process called subduction.

About Destructive Plate Margins

Subduction occurs at destructive plate margins when an Oceanic Plate and a Continental Plate meet. Because the Oceanic Plate is more dense it is pushed beneath the less dense Continental Plate. As the plates move past each other in a Friction causes the Oceanic Plate to be melted and destroyed and therefore magma is created. The magma in the magma chamber then rises and volcanos are often formed.