Formation and characteristics of fold mountains the formation of fold mountains. The textbook and workbook we use is geography in action. Cape fold mountains discover sedgefield south africa. The same phenomenon can be seen if you push the ends of a rug together.
Mountains can be classified into five different basic types based on the cause that formed the mountain, type of rocks, shape and placement on land. The best examples are the himalayas, the rockies, the andes and the alps, all of which are huge fold mountain ranges caused by the collision of two plates. A landform is a natural feature of the solid surface of the earth. Its called fold because when the tectonic plates collide, the edges crumple as they are pushed together and the rock of. These processes are associated with largescale movements of the earths crust plate tectonics. Mountain formation lesson plan and worksheet to go with videos a zipped folder with an editable word powerpoint excel version and a pdf version of each file. Mont blanc in the alps in europe and the rocky mountains in north america. Driving the backroads through the western cape fold mountains many times over, the sea rose and fell against this formidable barrier, evidenced by archeological findings of layers of middens thousands of years old, of hunter gatherers and herders whose diet was clearly seen to be at one stage sea creatures, then meat at another stage later.
Notes major landforms and their economic significance. Fold mountains occur near convergent plate boundaries. The atlas mountains are also young folded mountains which are still in the process of formation. Includes embedded video clips, key words and imagesdiagrams. A set of folds distributed on a regional scale constitutes a. Fold mountains are created where two or more of earths tectonic plates are pushed together. When two plates collide the pressure compresses the rocks, forcing them to buckle and fold. Fold mountains can also be formed where two continental plates push towards each other. Fold mountain simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes lesson 3 factsheet for teachers. This movement can be illustrated by pushing a paper together. The formation of fold mountains and ocean trenches teaching.
What are the main characteristics of the folded mountains. The mountains are forced to rise to reestablish the balance. One common characteristic seen in all fold mountains is their formation. The himalayas began to form when the indian plate collided with the asian plate. Continental crust and arrows showing the direction of plate movement. Fold mountains form when the edges of two tectonic plates push against each other. Fold mountains are formed when tectonic plates collide and the plates fold up and are forced upwards into mountains. Fold mountains are often composed primarily of sedimentary rock. Fold mountains are formed as a result of the compression of tectonic plates, which leads to the formation of large foldlike structures on the earths crust. Such earth movements occur from time to time and lift the folds to a considerable height which result in the formation of fold mountains. Fold mountains form along both destructive and collision plate boundaries. Nelson abstract rocks of the great smoky mountains, a part of the blue ridge province, have been thrust northwestward over younger. Nov 12, 2009 convection currents move the plates around. There are some to do and homework slides which can be amended to suit the textbook, workbook or worksheets you use yourself.
Stratified rocks were formed from sediments deposited in flat horizontal sheets, but. This lesson will concentrate on three types of mountain. The formation of fold mountains form along both destructive and collision plate boundaries, in other words where two plates are pushing towards each other. As a fold mountain is being formed, there may be granite emplacement at the deeper level.
This lesson examines the formation of fold mountains and ocean trenches. Classification of mountains on the basis of location continental mountains oceanic mountains continental mountains coastal mountains inland mountains coastal mountains the rockies, the appalachians, the alpine mountain chains, the western ghats and the eastern ghats india. They are 50 million years old, which is actually quite new. This is how mountain ranges such as the himalayas and the alps were formed. Some of the more famous ranges include the rockies, andes, himalayas, and the alps. The earths crust is not one solid piece of land, but is formed of many. The formation of fold mountains student tasks teachit geography. Folding, faulting, volcanic activity, igneous intrusion and metamorphism are all parts of the orogenic process of mountain building. Fold mountains are also characterized by their arcuate shape whereby the mountains length greatly exceeds the width. Fold mountains sometimes are characterized by foreland basins, depressions that run parallel to the mountain range. Fold mountains such as the himalayas, apls, and northern rockies are evidence of the forces of plate tectonics. The himalayas in asia are good examples of fold mountains. Over time, material and sediment is deposited in large geosynclines. An orogenic event takes millions of years to create a fold mountain, but.
Fold mountains are the most common type of mountain in the world. These mountain ranges are not caused by the folding of. Complex folded mountains folds are complex in nature due to extreme compressional forces like overfold, recumbent fold and nappe fig. The economy of this region is based on the exploitation of the coniferous forest and pasturing dairy cattle, and tourism plays an important role. Fold mountains are the most common type of mountain.
Watch the video to the right hand side on how fold mountains are formed. Song to help learn how fold mountains are formed, processes involved, types of fold and world mountain ranges. The cape fold mountains of the western cape create the great divide that separates the temperate region of the garden route from its drier inland counterpart, the little karoo. Examples of fold mountains include the alps, rockies, andes and himalayas. They form when two plates with landmasses on them move towards each other. The 4 types of mountains and their detailed charactersitics.
This occurs along convergent plate boundaries where two plates move towards each other, between continental plates or between an oceanic and a continental plate. The reading explains what is unique about the structure and method of formation of fold mountains. Aug 29, 2017 fold mountains are formed at convergent boundaries at the meeting point of two tectonic plates. Task 1 the formation of fold mountains take a note of the following process and copy the diagram below right into your work book. Fold mountains plate tectonics mountains free 30day. When plates and the continents riding on them collide, the accumulated layers of rock may crumple and fold like a tablecloth that is pushed across a table, particularly if there is a mechanically weak layer such as salt. Fold mountains primarily exist as mountain ranges, and. The term is rather out of date, though still fairly common in physical geography literature. Many substantial rivers arise in the high reaches flowing eastwards to the indian ocean watering the environment and contributing significantly to both man and beast and to the creation of. This motion is still active today as the alps continue to uplift, fold, fault, and accrete.
Inland mountains the vosges and the black forest europe, the kunlun, tienshan, altai mountains of asia, the urals of. The crust is uplifted forming folds on top of the other. We do not grasp this deformation, but we know when a rock is deformed. Some great examples of this mountain type are the appalachians of north america, the swiss alps, the atlas mountains of northern africa, and the zagros mountains of iran. Folding, faulting, volcanic activity, igneous intrusion and metamorphism can all be parts of the orogenic process of mountain building. The forces responsible for formation of fold mountains are called orogenic. Mountain formation refers to the geological processes that underlie the formation of mountains. Folds form under varied conditions of stress, hydrostatic pressure, pore pressure, and temperature as. Fold mountains occur near convergent or compressional plate boundaries. The alps are young fold mountains which were formed due to the collision between african plate and the eurasian plate.
This leads to the formation of anticlines and synclines. This brief reading can be used for homework or classwork near the beginning of a unit on plate tectonics. Vast mountain ranges stretching across thousands of kilometres arefold mountains. The formation of fold mountains and ocean trenches. The wicklow mountains were formed 450 million years ago during the caledonian period. Forces inside and outside the earth can change the shape of the earths surface. Most fold mountains continue to grow as the plates constantly move. Classification of mountains on the basis of location, origin. Apr 28, 2009 fold moutains are formed by crust which has been uplifted and folded by compressional forces. Formation and characteristics the formation of fold. Geology of the western great smoky mountains tennessee. The erbo basin, in northern spain, is a foreland basin that formed with the pyrenees, a fold mountain chain created by the continental collision of the microcontinent of iberia with the massive eurasian plate. At these colliding, compressing boundaries, rocks and debris are warped and folded into rocky outcrops, hills, mountains, and entire mountain ranges fold mountains are created through a process called orogeny.
This kind of mountain is the worlds most common of the landform. Describe the two directions in which ranges of young fold mountains are aligned. Pdf conceptions of mountain formation, foulding, fault and the. During their formation, two tectonic plates crash into each other at a convergent plate boundary and buckle and fold. For one range of fold mountains, name the two tectonic plates responsible for its formation. These explanations also indicate that these mountains may have formed much faster than previously thought. Simple folded mountains folds are arranged in waves like pattern with a welldeveloped system of anticline and synclines 2. Dec 20, 2019 fold mountains fold mountains are formed when sedimentary rock strata in geosynclines are subjected to compressive forces. This simple science experiment helps demonstrate how they are formed.
Fold belts are typically associated with convergent plate boundaries and directed compressive stress. The cape fold mountains possibly survived erosional obliteration, firstly because of the extremely hard rocks the peninsula formation sandstone that form the backbone of the mountain chains, but also possibly because they had become buried under the karoo deposits which originated in the falkland mountains. The alps are home to eleven million people and thus the most densely populated mountain area in the world. Fold mountains fold mountains are formed when sedimentary rock strata in geosynclines are subjected to compressive forces. The formation of fold ing towels instructions for a hands on classroom activity using towels to demonstrate the process of the construction of fold mountains. As plates collide magma is forced into upfolds in the crust and cools to. Fold mountains fold mountains are mountains that are made when two of the earths plates collide. Types of fold mountains on the basis of nature of fold. The rocky mountains in north america, the alps in europe, the andes in south america, the urals in russia and the himalayan mountains in asia are examples of fold mountains. This can occur at the boundary of an oceanic plate and a continental plate or at the boundary of two continental plates. Types and how mountains are formed for kids owlcation. The deeper strata of the sedimentary accumulation often become highly metamorphosed due to very high pressure and heat. Fold mountains are mountains that form mainly by the effects of folding on layers within the.
Most fold mountains are composed primarily of sedimentary rock and metamorphic rock formed under high pressure and relatively low temperatures. Fold moutains are formed by crust which has been uplifted and folded by compressional forces. Fold mountains are created where two of earths tectonic plates are pushed. Other examples of fold mountains include mount aconcagua in the andes, south america. Fold mountains are mountains formed mainly by the effects of folding on layers in the upper part of the earths crust. Folded mountains happen when there is a pushing together of part of the earths crust from the ends, causing it to fold and ripple in the middle. Endogenic forces and exogenic forces can create a lot of landforms. The tectonic plates push forwards slowly over the years, making more and more folds. Geology of the great smoky mountains, tennessee and north carolina geology of the western great smoky mountains, tennessee by robert b.
Return to mountain formation from folded mountains. Dec 20, 2019 classification of mountains on the basis of location continental mountains oceanic mountains continental mountains coastal mountains inland mountains coastal mountains the rockies, the appalachians, the alpine mountain chains, the western ghats and the eastern ghats india. Where an area of sea separates two plates, sediments settle on the sea floor in depressions called geosynclines. The plates push layers of accumulated sediment in the sea into folds between them. The length of time it takes for fold mountains to form skills practiced information recall go through this online quiz and worksheet to make sure that you correctly remember the basic facts. Fold mountains are all formed through the collision of different tectonic plates along a convergent boundary creating distortions on the earths crust. Show pupils the diagram of the formation of a fault block mountain. Setting of ghana and the potential for underground dams pdf. Fold mountains are formed at convergent boundaries at the meeting point of two tectonic plates. Major orogenic events involved recumbent folding and thrust faulting of crystalline basement rocks. Fold mountains this is the most common type of mountain. Fold occurs when rock deforms in such a way that it bends instead of breaking. Jan 14, 2012 song to help learn how fold mountains are formed, processes involved, types of fold and world mountain ranges. Many fold mountains are also formed where an underlying layer of ductile minerals, such as salt, is present.
In the time before plate tectonics became well understood, the term was used for mountain belts, such as the himalayas. The general theory is that as two plates, with land. Aug 19, 20 so this collision leads to formation of big mountains with fragments of oceanic sediments in them even in the highest peaks e. Ppt fold mountains powerpoint presentation free to. Think of what happens to the bonnet of a car during a crash. Mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes royal geographical society. Inland mountains the vosges and the black forest europe, the kunlun. The cape fold belt is a fold and thrust belt of late paleozoic age, which affected the sequence of sedimentary rock layers of the cape supergroup in the southwestern corner of south africa.
The rocks, like any other material, deform to the action of external efforts. Pdf the conceptions about the origins of mountains, faults, folds or relief are very different if we. Classification of mountains on the basis of location. The term is rather out of date, though still fairly common in physical geography literature in the time before plate tectonics became well understood, the term was used for mountain belts, such as the himalayas. They are the loftiest mountains, and they are generally concentrated along continental margins.
Complex folded mountains folds are complex in nature due to extreme compressional forces like overfold, recumbent fold and nappe. Fold mountains form when two tectonic plates move towards each other at convergent plate boundary. What forces caused the majestic mountains that have formed on the earths landscape. These are formed when two plates move towards each other. The standard explanation is that basically these solid rocks very slowly folded without cracking over. The formation of each of these mountains is similar to the formation of the himalayas. These processes are associated with largescale movements of the earths crust tectonic plates. Folded mountains are the most common type of mountain, representing the worlds largest mountain ranges. Major landforms and their economic significance changing face of the earth notes geography bent into up and down folds. Fold in geology a fold is an undulating structure wave.
176 85 75 636 784 1169 957 160 1081 1378 1251 1566 132 839 555 76 897 1540 405 474 1527 435 1143 1545 732 644 159 907 893 1174 1224 1314 313 1132 1450