Which features are considered the lowest areas on Earth's surface located near island arcs or coastal mountain ranges?

The correct answer, trenches, refers to deeply submerged areas of the ocean floor, typically found at convergent plate boundaries where one tectonic plate is being forced beneath another. This process, known as subduction, often occurs near island arcs or coastal mountain ranges, creating some of the deepest parts of the ocean. Trenches can reach remarkable depths, such as the Mariana Trench, which is the deepest known point on Earth's surface.

While valleys, canyons, and basins can all represent lower areas on land, they do not possess the same extreme depths associated with oceanic trenches. Valleys and canyons often form through erosion and are generally shallower than trenches, situated primarily in terrestrial environments. Basins, on the other hand, can refer to low-lying areas that collect water and sediment, but they are not necessarily as deep as oceanic trenches and can vary greatly in depth and geographical context. Thus, trenches distinctly serve as the lowest points associated with tectonic activity near island arcs and coastal mountain ranges.