Earth Science Mountain Building

A large mass of rock that rises above its base. What is a Mountain? A large mass of rock that rises above its base.

Orogeny

How Do You Build a Mountain?

Volcanism

Plate Tectonics

Folding Pressures from within the earth sometimes fold rock layers into mountains and valleys.

Eastern United States Appalachians. Folding Eastern United States Appalachians.

3 Main Types of Folds

This is when layers are folded upwards in what looks like an arch. Anticlines This is when layers are folded upwards in what looks like an arch.

The layers are symmetrical (look alike) to either side of its center. Anticlines The layers are symmetrical (look alike) to either side of its center.

This is when the rock layers are folded downward. Synclines This is when the rock layers are folded downward.

Monoclines This is when the rock layer has a gently dipping bend in the horizontal rock layer.

When rocks are deformed (broken), they are displaced along fractures called FAULTS.

Movement along breaks or faults between huge blocks of rock. Faulting Movement along breaks or faults between huge blocks of rock.

Makes mountains that may be quite high and steep.

Types of Faults Normal Fault

Also known as a GRAVITY FAULT because gravity causes the hanging wall to slip down.

Types of Faults Reverse Fault

Also known as a THRUST FAULT, the hanging wall has slipped up in comparison to the foot wall.

Normal Fault Reverse Fault

Types of Faults Strike-Slip Fault

Two layers of rock are shifted horizontally or parallel to the fault plane.

Section of land lifted up near a divergent plate. Horst Section of land lifted up near a divergent plate.

Section of land lifted up near a divergent plate. Horst Section of land lifted up near a divergent plate.

Section of dropped land near a divergent plate. Graben Section of dropped land near a divergent plate.

Section of dropped land near a divergent plate. Graben Section of dropped land near a divergent plate.

Doming The core of a dome mountain was once magma, which domed up the rocks above it into a sort of blister.

The Black Hills of South Dakota. Doming The Black Hills of South Dakota.

and pus from their burning lungs.

What Type of Mountain?

Fold Mountains

Dome Mountains

Fault Mountains

Collision Orogenies

Collision Orogenies

Himalaya is the highest mountain system in the world.

There are only six mountains more than five miles high in the entire world, and all six of them are in the Himalaya.

The name Himalaya comes from the Sanskrit language and means the House of Snow, or the Snowy Range.

Subduction Orogenies

Mountain Growth Limits

Lab: Isostasy

Various eruption types can be expressed as a function of height of eruption column and explosiveness.

Lava flows burn or bury everything they come across Lava flows burn or bury everything they come across. This spectacular lava cascade was generated during the 1969-71 eruption of Mauna Ulu on the east rift zone of Kilauea volcano, Hawaii.

Cinder cones grow rapidly and soon approach their maximum size Cinder cones grow rapidly and soon approach their maximum size.  They rarely exceed 250m in height and 500m in diameter.

Glacial Isostasy

Glacial Isostasy

Glacial Isostasy

Lab: Isostatic Rebound