We all see mountains in our landscapes day by day. However, some people don't know what is a mountain nor how it has been formed from the geological point of view. A mountain, known as the natural elevation of the earth, is the product of tectonic forces and typically rises more than 700 meters above its base. These elevations of the terrain are usually grouped into mountains or mounts, which can be short-lived or extend over a distance of more than a kilometer.
In this article we are going to tell you everything you need to know about what a mountain is, its characteristics, formation and much more.
what is a mountain
Mountains have attracted human attention since ancient times, often associated culturally with elevation, proximity to God (heaven), or as a metaphor for continual striving to gain greater or better perspective. In fact, mountaineering is a physical activity associated with an enormous physical demand and of enormous importance if we take into account the known percentages of the planet.
There are many ways to classify mountains. For example, depending on their height, they can be divided into (from lowest to highest): hills, medium mountains and high mountains. Again, they can be classified according to their origin: volcanic, folded (product of tectonic faults) or folded fractures.
Finally, mountain groups can be classified according to how they are grouped: if they are longitudinally connected, we call them mountains, and if they are more compactly connected or circular, we call them hills.
Mountains cover much of the earth's surface: 53% from mainland Asia, 25% from Europe, 17% from Australia and 3% from Africa, for a total of 24%. With an estimated 10% of the world's population living in mountainous areas, all the water in the rivers necessarily forms at the peaks.
mountain building
Orogeny is known as the formation of mountains and is then influenced by external factors such as erosion or tectonic movements.
Mountains originate from the deformation of the earth's crust, generally at the intersection of two tectonic plates, by applying forces to each other, which causes the lithosphere folds so that one vein goes down and the other goes up, creating an elevation of variable magnitudes.
In some cases, this shock process causes a layer to sink underground and melt from the heat, forming magma, which then erupts as volcanoes to the surface.
parts of the mountains
Mountains generally consist of:
- The bottom of the foot or base formation, usually on the ground.
- Pico, pinnacle or pinnacle The summit and the last part, the end of the mountain, reached the highest possible height.
- a slope or skirt connects the sloping foot of a mountain with the top.
- The part of the slope between two peaks (two mountains) that forms a small depression or sink.
Mountain weather
Mountain climates generally depend on two factors: your latitude and the altitude of the mountain. At higher altitudes, there is always a lower temperature and lower atmospheric pressure, usually 5°C per kilometer.
The same happens with rainfall, which is more frequent at higher altitudes, so you can find more humid areas in the upper part than in the plains, especially where the big rivers are born. If it keeps going up, the moisture and water will turn into snow and eventually ice.
mountain vegetation
mountain vegetation highly depends on the weather and the location of the mountain. However, when you go uphill, it usually happens gradually in a staggered manner. Therefore, on the lower floors, near the feet, the surrounding plains or mountain forests are rich in vegetation with tall, shady trees.
But as it rises, the more resistant species dominate, taking advantage of the moisture reserves and abundant rainfall. Above the area of the trees, you can feel the lack of oxygen and the vegetation will be reduced to grass, with small bushes and grasses. As a result, the peaks tend to be drier, especially those that are covered in snow and ice.
The five highest mountains
The five tallest mountains in the world are:
- Mount Everest. At 8.846 meters above sea level, it is the highest mountain in the world and is located at the top of the Himalayas.
- K2 mountains. One of the most difficult mountains to climb in the world, 8611 meters above sea level. It is located between China and Pakistan.
- Calgary Jungle. Located between India and Nepal, it is 8598 meters high. Its name translates as "Five Treasures in the Snow".
- Aconcagua. At 6.962 meters, the mountain is located in the Argentine Andes in the province of Mendoza and is the highest peak in the United States.
- salty eyes, Nevada. It is part of the Andes, on the border between Chile and Argentina. It is the highest volcano in the world with a height of 6891,3 meters.
types that exist
These are the types of mountains that exist:
- Volcanic. They form when magma from inside the Earth collects in magma chambers and eventually reaches the surface as lava. Over the years, the lava and other ejected materials solidified and built up in layers. Volcanoes are mountains, but not all mountains are volcanoes.
- Folded: Both are formed when two tectonic plates collide, causing the earth's crust to fold.
- of dome. They are created when magma rises to the surface but hardens before erupting. The appearance of peaks and valleys is due to the action of external geological factors.
- Plateaus. Unlike fold and dome mountains, tectonic plates collide and lift the crust, but they don't fold. Its upper part is not pointed, but relatively flat.
- Mountains formed by faults or ruptures. They appear at breaks in the earth's crust, causing blocks of rock to move up and down and form highlands.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about what a mountain is and its characteristics.