At a convergent plate boundary, what does a dense oceanic plate usually do?

Correct answer: Sinks beneath another plate

The direct answer is A: at a convergent boundary, a dense oceanic plate usually sinks beneath another plate. Convergence means that plates move toward one another. Oceanic lithosphere is commonly denser than continental lithosphere because it is made largely of dense basaltic rocks. Step by step: two plates approach; the denser oceanic plate cannot remain above the less-dense plate easily; it bends downward into the mantle; this process is called subduction. Subduction can produce trenches, earthquakes, volcanoes and magma. A is correct because it describes the usual movement. B is wrong because a dense plate does not always float above another plate. C is wrong because plates move within Earth’s lithosphere, not into the atmosphere. D is wrong because convergence causes change rather than complete fixed stability. ‘Usually’ matters: the exact result depends on the plates involved. Memory cue: convergence plus dense oceanic plate means subduction.