If the leading plate in a subduction process is made up of continental rock, what happens?

In a subduction process, the characteristics of the leading plate play a crucial role in determining its behavior. When the leading plate is composed of continental rock, it typically does not subduct due to the differences in density between continental and oceanic plates. Continental crust is less dense and thicker compared to oceanic crust.

As a result, when a continental plate encounters an oceanic plate, instead of the continental plate being forced downward into the mantle, it tends to ride over the denser oceanic plate. This leads to the formation of mountain ranges, earthquakes, and volcanic activity at the boundary where these plates interact, but the continental plate remains largely intact and does not subduct.

The distinction in density is key: oceanic plates, which are denser, are more prone to being pulled down into the mantle compared to the lighter, more buoyant continental plates. Thus, the behavior you would expect from a leading plate made of continental rock is for it to persist at the surface rather than subduct.