Island arcs grow from ____.
A) atolls
B) passive continental margins
C) submarine volcanoes near a subduction zone
D) abyssal fans

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Island arcs are formed above a subduction zone where an oceanic plate is subducted beneath another oceanic plate or beneath a continental plate. This causes volcanic activity on the overlying plate and island arcs can be formed as a result. Submarine volcanoes near the subduction zone are the main source of magma for these volcanic islands. Atolls (ring-shaped coral reefs surrounding a lagoon) and passive continental margins (margins of a continent that are not associated with plate boundaries) are not related to the formation of island arcs. Abyssal fans are underwater sedimentary deposits found at the base of continental slopes, also unrelated to the formation of island arcs.

Island Arcs Grow from ____