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Mountain Geology

• Fold mountains - Fold mountains are formed when two plates run into each other or collide. The force of the two plates running into each other causes the Earth's crust to crumple and fold. Many of the world's great mountain ranges are fold mountains including the Andes, Himalayas, and the Rockies.
• Fault-block mountains - Fault-block mountains are formed along faults where some large blocks of rock are forced upwards while others are forced down. The higher area is sometimes called a "horst" and the lower a "graben" (see the picture below). The Sierra Nevada Mountains in the western United States are fault-block mountains.







• Volcanic mountains - Mountains that are caused by volcanic activity are called volcanic mountains. There are two main types of volcanic mountains: volcanoes and dome mountains. Volcanoes are formed when magma erupts all the way to the surface of the Earth. The magma will harden on the Earth's surface, forming a mountain. Dome mountains are formed when a large amount of magma builds up below the Earth's surface. This forces the rock above the magma to bulge out, forming a mountain. Examples of volcanic mountains include Mount Fuji in Japan and Mount Mauna Loa in Hawaii.

• Arete - A narrow ridge formed when two glaciers erode opposite sides of a mountain.
• Cirque - A bowl shaped depression formed by the head of a glacier usually at the foot of a mountain.
• Crag - A mass of rock that projects outward from a rock face or cliff.
• Face - The side of a mountain that is very steep.
• Glacier - A mountain glacier is formed by compacted snow into ice.
• Leeward side - The leeward side of a mountain is opposite the windward side. It is protected from the wind and rain by the mountain.
• Horn - A horn is a sharp peak formed from multiple glaciers.
• Moraine - A collection of rocks and dirt left behind by glaciers.
• Pass - A valley or path between mountains.
• Peak - The highest point of a mountain.
• Ridge - A long narrow top of a mountain or series of mountains.
• Slope - The side of a mountain.

• A mountain may be home to many different biomes including temperate forest, taiga forest, tundra, and grassland.
• Around 20 percent of the Earth's surface is covered with mountains.
• There are mountains and mountain ranges in the ocean. Many islands are actually the tops of mountains.
• The elevation above 26,000 feet is called the "death zone" because there isn't enough oxygen to support human life.
• The scientific study of mountains is called orology.

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