Which landforms do mountain chains produce

The Appalachian Mountains formed during a collision of continents to million years ago. In their prime they probably had peaks as high as those in the modern zone of continental collision stretching from the Himalayas in Asia to the Alps in Europe.

But over the past million years, the Appalachians have eroded to more modest heights. Lillie, New York, W. Norton and Company, pp. The continental collision zone extends even farther southwestward, but young sediments of the Gulf coastal plain cover most of it. The Brooks Range is another, younger zone of continental collision, stretching across northern Alaska.

A visit to one of those sites reveals not only beautiful mountain scenery, but also rocks and topography that tell a story of ancient episodes of drifting plates and crashing continents. The Appalachian Mountains are part of a collisional mountain range that includes the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas and Oklahoma, and the Marathon Mountains in west Texas.

After million years the mountains have eroded deeply and are covered in places by young sediments of the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains. Four-letter codes refer to some of the National Park Service sites listed near the top of this page. Acadia National Park is in the northern Appalachians in Maine. The Appalachian Mountains, along with the Caledonide Mountains in Greenland, the British Isles and Scandinavia, as well as the Atlas Mountains in northeastern Africa, are parts of a continental collision zone that formed to million years ago.

Later rifting opened the Atlantic Ocean, isolating the mountains as separate ranges on different continents. Iapetus Ocean Opens. Land that will later become Florida is part of Africa. Iapetus Ocean Closes.

Pangea forms as the continents collide. The Appalachians are part of a larger zone of continental collision that includes the Marathon and Ouachita mountains in the southern United States, the Atlas Mountains in Africa, and the Caledonide Mountains in Greenland, the British Isles, and Scandinavia.

Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico Open. The modern oceans originated about million years ago when Europe, Africa and South America ripped away from North America. Fragments of the collision zone mountains were left on three continents: the Appalachians in North America, the Atlas in Africa, and the Caledonides in Europe. The Atlantic continues to widen along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

The Gulf of Mexico ceased opening about million years ago, when tectonic activity shifted eastward to the Caribbean region. Continental collision is occurring today where Africa and India ram into Europe and Asia, forming the Alpine-Himalayan chain.

The continents of Africa, South America, Australia and Antarctica were originally part of a large supercontinent called Gondwanaland. Prior to million years ago, the ancient North American continent was separated from Gondwanaland and Eurasia by a large body of water known as the Iapetus Ocean.

As the Iapetus Ocean closed along subduction zones, various volcanic islands and continental fragments terranes collided with the continental edges and became permanently attached accreted. Eventually, the entire Iapetus Ocean closed and the continents collided to form the supercontinent of Pangea. The tectonic history of the Appalachian Mountains involves opening an ancient ocean along a divergent plate boundary, closing the ocean during plate convergence, and then more divergence that opened the Atlantic Ocean.

Continental blocks destined to become North America and Gondwanaland drift apart. The eastern edge of ancient North America developed into a passive continental margin, similar to the modern East Coast.

As the margin cooled and subsided, thick sedimentary strata covered the earlier mountains and rift valleys. Iapetus Ocean Narrows during Subduction. Oceanic sediments and volcanic islands were at times added to the edge of North America. Iapetus Ocean Completely Closes. The Southern Appalachians develop as the African portion of Gondwanaland crashes in, forming the supercontinent of Pangea. Atlantic Ocean Opens. Ancient ocean rocks are left behind as the Piedmont Province, along with a sliver of Africa that now lies beneath the Coastal Plain of Florida and offshore regions of Georgia and the Carolinas purple.

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The tallest mountain measured from top to bottom is Mauna Kea, an inactive volcano on the island of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. Measured from the base, Mauna Kea stands 33, feet 10, meters tall, though it only rises 13, feet 4, meters above the sea. Volcanic mountains form when molten rock from deep inside the Earth erupts through the crust and piles up on itself.

The islands of Hawaii were formed by undersea volcanoes, and the islands seen above water today are the remaining volcano tops. Well-known volcanoes on land include Mount St. Sometimes volcanic eruptions break down mountains instead of building them up, like the eruption that blew the top off Mount St. When magma pushes the crust up but hardens before erupting onto the surface, it forms so-called dome mountains.

Wind and rain pummel the domes, sculpting peaks and valleys. Plateau mountains are similar to dome mountains, but form as colliding tectonic plates push up the land without folding or faulting. They are then shaped by weathering and erosion. Other types of mountains form when stresses within and between the tectonic plates lead to cracking and faulting of the Earth's surface, which forces blocks of rock up and down.

Mountains often serve as geographic features that define natural borders of countries. Their height can influence weather patterns, stalling storms that roll off the oceans and squeezing water from the clouds. The other side is often much drier. The rugged landscapes even provide refuge—and protection—for fleeing and invading armies. Plateau mountains, such as the Catskills, are formed from the erosion of an uplifted plateau.

And after millions of years of erosion, mountains may cease to exist entirely. Given the size and scale of a mountain, the immense forces involved in their creation, and the immense amount of time it takes to shape and form them, it is little wonder why they are considered such a big deal.

Between their religious significance i. Mount Zion, Mount Olympus, Mount Ararat, and Mauna Kea, to name a few , their scenic value, the challenge they present, and their importance to the Earth sciences, these geological formations continue to enjoy a special place in our hearts, minds and culture.

As we explore other planets, we have also found new and impressive mountain formations that have taught us much about the geological activity and composition of other worlds.

For example, there the volcanic mountain on Mars known as Olympus Mons , which just happens to be the largest mountain in the Solar System. And this is merely a drop in the bucket.

We have written many articles about mountains here at Universe Today. Astronomy Cast also has a great episode on the subject — Episode Earth.