23/12/2024
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Geologic Processes
How Do Mountains Form?
By: Mark Mancini | Updated: Nov 7, 2023
Alaska's Mount Denali is currently getting taller every year. Not by much, though, just 0.04 inches (10 millimeters) annually. NPS Photo / Jacob Frank
Have you ever gazed in awe at the majestic peaks that punctuate the Earth's surface and wondered, 'how do mountains form?' These towering giants hold the secrets of our planet's tumultuous history, a remarkable story etched in stone and told through the relentless forces of nature.
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Contents
How Are Mountains Formed?
Understanding Geological Formations: The Appalachians
Mountain Ranges in the Himalayas
Other Ways Mountains Form
How Are Mountains Formed?
Every year, an estimated 2 to 3 million people lace up their boots and take a hike on the Appalachian Trail. It's hard to beat the scenery. The 2,200-mile (3,540-kilometer) pathway shares its name with a mountain range whose dense forests and rocky slopes are a magnet for those who love the outdoors. Should you ever decide to climb an Appalachian summit, you'll have your work cut out for you. The 10 highest American peaks east of the Mississippi are all located in this historic mountain range. By a slim margin, the tallest among them is North Carolina's Mount Mitchell, which stands 6,684 feet (2,037 meters) tall.
It probably won't get any taller, though. From a geological standpoint, the Appalachians haven't seen much growth in quite a while. Since the dawn of the dinosaurs about 225 million years ago, this range has been getting whittled down by weathering forces. Yet elsewhere in the world, some mountains grow higher and higher on a yearly basis. So how come the Appalachians aren't following suit?
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A key factor is their age. Mountains form in a handful of different ways, but most mountains come into existence when two tectonic plates collide. For those who don't know, tectoni