Download Geological formation of mountains and more Summaries Geology in PDF only on Docsity! MOUNTAINS Engineering Geology Sireen Ouda 1211802 / Birzeit University Mohamad Barakat /1211813 30 / 10 /2023 Mountains are terrain that rises clearly above their surrounding areas, characterized by steep slopes and high, sharp rocky peaks. Mountains constitute important phenomena on the surface of the Earth, and are characterized by the diversity of their heights, the heterogeneity of their landscapes, and the different characteristics of their terrain, in addition to their distinctive ecosystems. Moreover, it is one of the most important geological features on the surface of the Earth, and it is a scientific and aesthetic phenomenon that prompts research into its formation processes, which contributes to our understanding of the composition of the Earth’s core. They represent geologically complex regions with distinct rock formations, allowing the detection of various phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanoes, providing insight into the Earth's history. In addition, we will explore some of the economic and environmental benefits associated with this phenomenon. How are mountains formed? Mountains are formed as a result of various geological phenomena related to the movement of tectonic plates (which are huge, irregularly shaped rock plates resulting from the cracking of the solid outer crust of the Earth into separate parts), and they are the result of kinetic activities that occur in the Earth’s crust. These processes include folding, faulting and volcanic activity, with mountains often arising from the meeting of the same type of tectonic plate (continental, for example, as happened in the Himalayas). These are the convergent terms. Divergent boundaries arise in the oceans, where magma rises from the depths of the mantle toward the surface. Which pushes the plates away from each other and leads to the formation of different types of mountain ranges and terrain, including: ✓ Volcanic Mountains: These mountains are formed as a result of volcanic activity resulting from the movement of tectonic plates. This movement leads to the formation of volcanoes that emit lava, and over time, the accumulation and solidification of lava leads to the formation of mountain structures, such as those found in the Pacific Ring of Fire. Volcanic mountains are usually found around bodies of water, and there is a form of mountains that arise from volcanoes, where tectonic plates collide to form volcanic lava, but this lava is unable to penetrate the earth’s crust, so the earth’s crust is exposed to great pressure, and a dome shape is formed, and these are known as mountains. The dome. ✓ Folded Mountains: When two tectonic plates, one oceanic and one continental, collide, or undergo subduction (one plate rides on top of the other), the plates press against each other and fold to form mountains. Most major continental mountain ranges are associated with thrusting, folding, or orogeny. Examples include the Jura and Zagros Mountains. ✓ Cracked mountains: which are formed as a result of the internal forces of the Earth’s crust, where tectonic plates collide and press on each other, not only bending them and breaking them, but creating cracks that rise to the top, forming mountains, half of which go down.