Final answer:
When two continental plates collide, it is false that the older plate subducts underneath the younger one. Instead, the continental plates crumple, fold, and uplift, leading to the formation of mountain ranges rather than subduction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that when two continental plates collide, the older subducts underneath the younger plate is actually false. In the case of continental collisions, instead of one plate being forced underneath another, which is typical of oceanic-continental subduction, what occurs is a process of crumpling, folding, and uplift. Thick continental masses generally cannot be subducted due to their buoyancy and structural properties. As a result, when two continental plates collide, they tend to compress and fold, often leading to the formation of mountain ranges such as the Himalayas. The collision of two continental plates does not typically feature subduction but rather a complex process involving extreme deformation, metamorphism, and the creation of mountain belts.