Final answer:
In an oceanic-continental plate collision, the oceanic plate typically subducts under the continental plate due to its higher density. This leads to the geological process known as plate tectonics, which includes the recycling of crust material in the Earth's mantle and contributes to phenomena such as earthquakes and the creation of mountains and ocean trenches.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a tectonic plate collision between an oceanic plate and a continental plate, it is typically the oceanic plate that subducts, or is forced under, the continental plate. This occurs because the oceanic crust is denser and thinner than the thicker and less dense continental crust.
Subduction leads to a geological process known as plate tectonics. In these subduction zones, the oceanic plate is driven down into the high-pressure and high-temperature conditions of the mantle, where it eventually melts. Material from this melted plate is then recycled into a downward convection current which balances the upward flow of mantle material at rift zones.
This process is crucial for the cycle of creating new crust and destroying old crust on the Earth's surface. An example of a subduction zone is the Japan Trench along the coast of Asia where the Pacific Plate is being subducted beneath the Eurasian Plate. This process also contributes to the phenomenon of earthquakes and the formation of mountain ranges and deep ocean trenches.
Learn more about Plate Tectonics