Formation of Mountains: Types, Mt Everest Formation & FAQ

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In this article, we will discuss the formation of mountains.

 

  1. Mountains  

Mountains are land’s physical features protruding high beyond the hills and very high up the land surface with steep tops commonly shaped up to a peak. It is a feature that towers or rises above the level of the surrounding area more or less abruptly.

Mountain formation results from the forces of erosion, volcanism, or uplifts in the earth‘s crust. Usually, mountains occur in chains or ranges.
Have complex structures due to folding, faulting, volcanic activity, igneous intrusions, etc.

 

  2.  Formation of Mountains  

The formation of mountains is done by the folding, faulting, or warping of the Earth’s surface due to the displacement of various plate tectonics or by the formation of volcanic rock onto the surface.

The formation of mountains can be by volcanoes spewing lava over and over again. The lava cools and gets solid and makes a mountain. The islands of Hawaii are made of volcanoes. The formation of mountains takes a million billion years.

 

 

  3. Types of Mountain  

Any landmass that is elevated above 1,000 feet in the surrounding area is taken as a mountain.

Different types of mountains have different methods of origin:
a. Fold mountains
b. Block mountains
c. Volcanic mountains and
d. Residual mountain

 

a. Fold Mountains
i. It results from the earth‘s crust being compressed from the sides
ii. The layers of rocks in the crust are pushed up to form a fold mountain.
iii. The Alps, Himalayas, and the Andes are examples.

 

Formation of Mountains

 

 

b. Block Mountain
Mountains formed due to faulting.
i. A part of the land block is depressed so that the remaining block stands conspicuously above the
surroundings.
ii. The uplifted section is termed the block mountain (horst)
iii. When the middle section falls down instead of going up, it forms the rift valley (graben).

 

Formation of Mountains

 

 

c. Volcanic Mountain
i. The outrushing magma forms the fissures in the crust of the earth at a place into a dome, mountains formed in such a way are called volcanic or laccolith mountains.
ii. Volcanoes emit gases, liquids, and solids as well. The gases are lost in the atmosphere, but the liquid and solid accumulate and heaps around the fissure or orifice.
iii. During continued activity for years, the accumulation grows into an enormous size justifying the name mountain.

 

Formation of Mountains

 

 

d. Residual Mountain
i. When existing mountains or plateaus are in eroding state the resulting structures are called
residual mountains or relict mountains
ii. The eroding agents are snow, wind, rain
iii. They erode the softer materials from the existing mountains thus reshaping the lower hills and valleys.

 

Formation of Mountains

 

 

  4. How was Mt Everest formed?  

Mount Everest was produced from a tectonic collision between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates tens of millions of years ago. The smashup crushed the landscape, elevating mountains along 1,5000 miles, a range that is known as the Himalayas range.

 

Formation of Mountains

 

 

  5. Which rock is found on Mt Everest?  

The common rocks and minerals available on Mount Everest are granite, limestone, garnet, and schist. Granite is an igneous rock available on the lower slopes of Mount Everest and entire the Everest region.

 

  6. Did Mt Everest grow after the earthquake?  

Mt Everest has grown by 86 cm but not by the earthquake that came in 2015. The reason behind it is plate tectonics between Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.

 

  7. Is Mt Everest a volcano?  

No, Mt Everest isn’t a volcano. It was produced from a tectonic collision between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates tens of millions of years ago. The smashup crushed the landscape, elevating mountains along 1,5000 miles, a range that is known as the Himalayas range.

 

  8. Effect of Earthquake on Mountain  

Larger earthquakes can be the reason behind the formation of mountains topography by making rock uplift more than 1,000 feet but also crumble mountains by causing landslides.

The formation of mountains can be by volcanoes spewing lava over and over again. The lava cools and gets solid and makes a mountain. The islands of Hawaii are made of volcanoes.

 

 

  9. List of  World’s Highest Peaks  

 

( Note: Mobile users are requested to tilt mobile or zoom figures for the best experience. )

PositionMountain name(s)Height
(rounded)
Prominence
(rounded)
Range
1Mount Everest

Sagarmatha

Chomolungma

8,848.8629,029Mahalangur Himalaya
2K28,6114,020Baltoro Karakoram
3Kangchenjunga8,5863,922Kangchenjunga Himalaya
4Lhotse8,516610Mahalangur Himalaya
5Makalu8,4852,378Mahalangur Himalaya
6Cho Oyu8,1882,340Mahalangur Himalaya
7Dhaulagiri I8,1673,357Dhaulagiri Himalaya
8Manaslu8,1633,092Manaslu Himalaya
9Nanga Parbat8,1264,608Nanga Parbat Himalaya
10Annapurna I8,0912,984Annapurna Himalaya
11Gasherbrum I

Hidden Peak

K5

8,0802,155Baltoro Karakoram
12Broad Peak8,0511,701Baltoro Karakoram
13Gasherbrum II

K4

8,0351,524Baltoro Karakoram
14Shishapangma

Gosainthan

8,0272,897Jugal Himalaya
15Gyachung Kang7,952672Mahalangur Himalaya
SGasherbrum III

K3a

7,946355Baltoro Karakoram
16Annapurna II7,9372,437Annapurna Himalaya
17Gasherbrum IV

K3

7,932712Baltoro Karakoram
18Himalchuli7,8931,633Manaslu Himalaya
19Distaghil Sar7,8842,525Hispar Karakoram
20Ngadi Chuli7,8711,011Manaslu Himalaya
SNuptse7,864305Mahalangur Himalaya
21Khunyang Chhish7,8231,765Hispar Karakoram
22Masherbrum

K1

7,8212,457Masherbrum Karakoram
23Nanda Devi7,8163,139Garhwal Himalaya
24Chomo Lonzo7,804590Mahalangur Himalaya
25Batura Sar7,7953,118Batura Karakoram
26Rakaposhi7,7882,818Rakaposhi-Haramosh Karakoram
27Namcha Barwa7,7824,106Assam Himalaya
28Kanjut Sar7,7601,660Hispar Karakoram
29Kamet7,7562,825Garhwal Himalaya
30Dhaulagiri II7,7512,397Dhaulagiri Himalaya
31Saltoro Kangri

K10

7,7422,160Saltoro Karakoram
32Kumbhakarna

Jannu

7,7111,036Kangchenjunga Himalaya
33Tirich Mir7,7083,910Hindu Kush
SMolamenqing7,703433Langtang Himalaya
34Gurla Mandhata7,6942,788Nalakankar Himalaya
35Saser Kangri I

K22

7,6722,304Saser Karakoram
36Chogolisa7,6651,624Masherbrum Karakoram
SDhaulagiri IV7,661469Dhaulagiri Himalaya
37Kongur Tagh7,6493,585Kongur Shan (Eastern Pamirs)
SDhaulagiri V7,618340Dhaulagiri Himalaya
38Shispare7,6111,240Batura Karakoram
39Trivor7,577997Hispar Karakoram
40Gangkhar Puensum7,5702,995Kula Kangri Himalaya
41
  • Gongga Shan
  • Minya Konka
7,5563,642Daxue Mountains (Hengduan Shan)
42Annapurna III7,555703Annapurna Himalaya
43Skyang Kangri7,5451,085Baltoro Karakoram
44Changtse7,543514Mahalangur Himalaya
45Kula Kangri7,5381,654Kula Kangri Himalaya
46Kongur Tiube7,530840Kongur Shan (Eastern Pamirs)
SAnnapurna IV7,525255Annapurna Himalaya
47Mamostong Kangri7,5161,803Rimo Karakoram
48Saser Kangri II E7,5131,458Saser Karakoram
49Muztagh Ata7,5092,698Muztagata (Eastern Pamirs)
50Ismoil Somoni Peak7,4953,402Pamir (Academy of Sciences Range)

 

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Read Also: How are Earthquakes Measured?

 

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