Final answer:
Folded mountain belts like the Appalachian Mountains near Pennsylvania are formed through convergent plate motion, where tectonic plates collide and cause the Earth's crust to buckle and fold into mountain ranges. The correct answer is B. convergent plate motion.Option B is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Folded mountain belts are a result of convergent plate motion, where tectonic plates move towards one another and collide. This type of motion creates significant pressure, causing the Earth's crust to buckle and fold, thereby forming mountain ranges. The Appalachian Mountains are an example of such a formation, shaped by the collision of North America with other land masses during the Paleozoic era.
To clarify, when you asked about the folded mountain belts like those seen in the Appalachian Mountains near Pennsylvania, these are the result of convergent plate motion.
Therefore, the correct option for the formation process of the folded mountain belts in the Appalachian Mountains is B. convergent plate motion.