Which process causes deep-sea trench formation in ocean-continent subduction zones?

💡 Explanation

When denser oceanic crust subducts under continental crust, tectonic plate bending occurs because the oceanic plate flexes downward under immense gravitational stress, leading to deep-sea trench formation. Therefore plate bending is the primary cause, rather than faster than subsidence, or chemical/erosional activity, which are secondary in this process.

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