The surface of the planet is diverse in its relief forms. The height of the largest mountains of the planet exceeds 8 thousand meters, and the highest is recognized as Everest 8848 meters. The only mountain on the surrounding plain is the exception rather than the rule. In the vast majority of cases, mountains form chains, and these chains are formed in no accidental places.

Mountains are of tectonic origin, they are formed due to movements of the earth's crust. When one lithospheric plate goes under another, the first rises, its edge goes up, forming another mountain system.

The origin of the mountains and their evolution

So, mountains are formed in seismically active areas, at the junctions of lithospheric plates. Where the plates diverge, other formations appear, rift plains. In the same areas where plates crawl one on top of another, mountain folds form. Mountain formation is not an instant process. Since the plates move at a speed of no more than a few centimeters per year, the mountains grow just as slowly. The formation of the ridge takes millions of years.

Interesting fact: in mountainous areas, seismic phenomena are observed - earthquakes, volcanic activity. This is a completely natural fact.

With active movements of the earth's crust, mountains grow to enormous heights. An example is Tibet, the Himalayan mountains - they arose when the Hindustan Peninsula moved towards the Eurasian Plate.These mountain ranges to this day remain the highest on the planet, mountain building processes do not stop here, as the movement continues. But there are old mountains, for example, the Ural Mountains. They are no longer growing. These mountains are gradually decreasing in size, becoming more gentle, low due to erosion. Wind, water, temperature changes, other factors cause their gradual destruction, which also happens gradually.

The seismic activity necessary for the formation of mountains does not occur everywhere. So, on the African continent there are practically no mountains, and seismic activity is found only in its northern part. It is believed that this is the oldest continent. But the mountains are at the bottom of the oceans. Plates of the earth's crust are continental and oceanic. Oceanic ones are much thinner, but the processes that occur are the same. Under the cover of the oceans rises the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, many other mountain formations having a height of up to several thousand meters. They are formed exactly according to the same algorithm.

Mountain Life Periods

At the stage of its formation, the mountains only grow. Growth can occur at different speeds, it all depends on the characteristics of the tectonic processes. If the mountain is a volcano, growth can be rapid - due to discarded materials. At the same time as the earthly forces causing the growth of these formations, the reverse ones work - first of all, erosion, which causes destruction.At one point, all modern mountains will become sand washed with water, blown out by the wind, but this will not happen very soon. By that time, new mountains will appear on the planet.

While the growth rate of the mountain exceeds the rate of its destruction, it increases. Many modern mountains grow, it's just barely noticeable. But as soon as the Earth’s forces cease to stimulate growth, the mountain begins to gradually decrease in size under the influence of erosion. There are many destructible, dying mountains on the planet, these are not only the Ural Mountains, but also the Old Appalachians in America and many others.

Why do mountains have a layered structure?

It is not difficult to consider a section of the mountain. Many of them have traces of landslides that reveal a peculiar cut, which is always layered. From it one can judge what was on this area even before the mountain began to form. So, in the Alps, at an altitude of about 3 kilometers, shells, materials that accumulate only on the seabed, are found. After inspection by scientists, it turned out that once there was a seabed, the Mediterranean Sea in the past splashed in these territories, and then they began to rise in folds due to the advance of the African continent. After all, the plate on which it lies is moving towards the Eurasian.

Layers of rocks indicate what happened in these areas in the past, possibly even when they were plains. Therefore, they are actively studied, and often bones of ancient animals and other remarkable fossil objects are found in them.

Mountains are a product of the planet’s seismic activity, which is generated by the movement of lithospheric plates. They can be growing and crumbling, high and low. But in any case, they are very beautiful.