Major Landforms of The Earth: Types of Mountains

INTRODUCTION

The forces inside the earth are responsible for the changing shape of the earth’s surface as well. There are two types of forces called endogenic and exogenic forces that create the landforms.

Mountains are considered to be the natural elevation of the surface of the earth. They are formed in a way where it starts as a small summit and a broad base. Mountains are considered to be higher than the areas surrounding them. There are  few mountains which have very high altitude. As we move towards the altitude, the climate becomes colder.

It can be seen that in a few mountains, the cliff is frozen with ice and has rivers streaming downwards. These are called glaciers. Some mountains exist under the sea. which are invisible to the eye. Because of the harsh climate that mountains have, people residing in these areas have a minimum. Due to the steep slopes of mountains, the area for agriculture and cultivation is also very little.

Some mountains go in a line called range. There are ranges of mountains that go on for hundreds of kilometers. Examples of this are The Himalayas, The Alps, which range from Asia to Europe and South America.

This article will focus on the various types of mountains that exist and why mountains are considered to be an important landform of the earth, along with a few frequently asked questions.

TYPES OF MOUNTAINS

The Mountains are classified into four major types based on the way they are formed – Fold mountains, Block mountains, Volcanic mountains, and Residual mountains.

1.FOLD MOUNTAINS

Created due to the collision of tectonic plates, these mountains are divided into ‘old fold’ (Aravalli mountain: 200 million years old) and ’young fold’ (Himalayas: 10-25 million years old) based on how ancient they are. The way they are formed is that when the collision occurs, owing to internal forces and androgenic forces, it leads to the layers of the earth between them getting folded, resulting in fold mountains. A fold mountain ah stwo parts, the first is the trough which is known as the Sycline, the second is the crest, which is known as the Anticline. 

2.BLOCK MOUNTAINS

The formation of block mountains is also quite similar to fold mountains. When the internal and androgenic earth movements cause a force of tension or faulting, it leads to the formation of block mountains. When large areas of land or rock are broken vertically and displaced, they form blocks. The process by which these mountains are formed is called orogeny. 

These blocks are also divided based on their positioning. The blocks that are higher and uplifted are known as horses, while the blocks in a lower position are called grabens. These are usually compared to piano keys because of their placement. Examples of block valleys are the Rhine valley and the Black Forest mountain in Germany.

3.VOLCANIC MOUNTAINS 

The mountains that are formed due to the presence of any volcanic material or activity are known as volcanic mountains. They are also called mountains of accumulation. When the Magna is rising from the mantle to the crust of the Earth, it gives rise to volcanic mountains. Examples of volcanic mountains are Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa and Mt. Fujiyama is located in Japan. 

4.RESIDUAL MOUNTAINS

Weathering is a process that acts upon the crust of the earth frequently. This process depends upon the shape that is formed when the rocks are wearing down. 

In a few cases, there are some portions of the elevated areas that escape during the process of weathering. This could happen due to the hardness of the materials that it consists of. During this process, these areas remain weathered while the surrounding areas get eroded and weathered. This entire process results in the formation of a Residual mountain.

A few examples of residual mountains are Nilgiri Hills, Aravalli mountains, Satpura, etc.

IMPORTANCE OF MOUNTAINS

• Mountains are considered to be the storehouse for all-natural resources like petroleum, coal, and limestone that are majorly found in this region.
• Mountains are also responsible for generating hydroelectricity from the waters in the perennial rivers.
• These perennial rivers that arise in the snow-fed or the heavily rain-fed mountains are considered to be a vital source of water. They also serve many purposes like helping in irrigation, providing water for people residing in these areas, etc.
• The rivers that are born in the high mountains carry silt with the water that they bring to the lower valleys. This is responsible for building fertile plains and also helping in agricultural-related activities.
• During a crisis of war or external forces’ protection, mountains act as a boundary or barrier between two countries. They help protect the country from external threats.
• Most commonly, mountains are known for their tourist attraction spots because of the pleasant climate and eye-catching sceneries that they provide to the people.

Conclusion:

Mountains are formed as a result of the interaction of Exogenic and endogenic forces. Mountains are natural elevations of the earth. Based on the way they were formed mountains are divided into: Fold mountains, Block mountains, Volcanic mountains, and Residual mountains. Mountains are an ecological haven as they store many natural resources, perennial rivers are born from them, and they work as a natural defense at times of War (such as the Himalayas in India) etc.