When tectonic plates converge, they can interact in different ways depending on their densities. In the case of two continental plates colliding, neither plate is dense enough to subduct, leading to the formation of mountain ranges due to the uplift of the crust. This is seen in Diagram 1. Conversely, when an oceanic plate converges with a continental plate, the denser oceanic plate is forced beneath the continental plate in a process called subduction. This creates a subduction zone, which is characterized by the formation of a trench and volcanic activity, as seen in Diagram 2. The volcanic arc forms as magma generated from the subducting plate rises to the surface.