how was the mariana trench formed

The Mariana Trench was formed through a process called subduction, where one tectonic plate is forced beneath another. Specifically, the Pacific Plate, which is the older and denser plate, is subducted beneath the smaller Mariana Plate. This downward bending and sinking of the Pacific Plate into the Earth's mantle creates a deep, V-shaped oceanic trench, which is the deepest part of the world's oceans. This subduction also generates volcanic activity that forms the nearby Mariana Islands. This process has been ongoing for about 50 million years and continues to shape the trench today through the movement of the plates.