Mountain

Formation
Presented by: Jesrel V.
Sarmiento, LPT
Science Teacher
Oogenesis and Mountain Systems
What is orogenesis?
• It explains the geologic processes that lead to the formation of mountains.
• Studies show that a tremendous amount of force causes the deformation of
large sections of Earth’s crust to form mountains.
• Mountain – mass of land that rises more than 600 meters above the
surrounding land.

Jens Martensson 2
Jens Martensson 3
Jens Martensson 4
Uplift of Earth’s Crust
• Isostasy explains the tendency of Earth’s lighter crust to achieve balance as
though it is floating on the denser, underlying mantle.

Jens Martensson 5
Deformation of Rocks
• When rocks are subjected to a great pressure, they deform and may take the form of a fold
or a fault.
• Fold – wavelike movement that happens when a originally flat surface or strata is bent.
• Fault - any fracture in the crust along where a significant displacement has occured.

Jens Martensson 6
Deformation of Rocks
• Elastic deformation – dominant form of deformation at shallow depths in the crust and
lithosphere because both the temperature and pressure are low.

Jens Martensson 7
Types of Deformation of Rocks
Folding
• concept that embraces all geologic processes by which surfaces in rocks
become curved during deformation.

Jens Martensson 8
Types of Deformation of Rocks
• Syncline – downward fold
• Anticline – upward fold

Jens Martensson 9
Types of Deformation of Rocks
Faulting
• Faults are planes of detachment resulting when rocks on either side of the displacement slip
past one another.

Jens Martensson 10
3 Types of Faults
1. Normal Faults
• Hanging walls that move down relative to the footwall.
• Hanging wall is the block immediately above the fault surface. Footwall lies below the
falt surface.

Jens Martensson 11
3 Types of Faults
2. Reverse faults
• When the hanging wall moves relative to the footwall.

Jens Martensson 12
3 Types of Faults
3. Strike-strip faults
• Where the dominant dispacement occurs along the strike of the fault.

Jens Martensson 13
Mountain Formation at Subduction Zones
• According to the theory of plate tectonics, most mountain systems are formed along the
edges of the continents with convergent plate boundaries.
• Studies indicate that the collision of two or more tectonic plates at subduction zones is the
primary cause of mountain formation.
• The formation of mountains along the edges of continents involves the convergence of an
oceanic plate and a continental plate.
• The other cause of mountain formation is the collision of two tectoic plates containing
continental crust. As subduction continues, a continent on one side of the ocean moves
closer to the continent on the other side.

Jens Martensson 14
Types of Mountains
1. Fault-Block Mountains
• formed by the movement of large crustal blocks when forces in the Earth's crust pull it
apart.

Jens Martensson 15
Types of Mountains
2. Folded Mountains
• These are created where two or more of Earth’s tectonic plates are pushed together. At
these colliding, compressing boundaries, rocks and debris are warped and folded into rocky
outcrops, hills, mountains, and entire mountain ranges.

Jens Martensson 16
Types of Mountains
3. Volcanic mountains
• These are formed as a result of volcanic activities on the surface of the Earth. The magma
inside the Earth erupts out as lava through the cracks on the Earth's surface. This cools
down repeatedly to form volcanic mountains.

Jens Martensson 17
Types of Mountains
4. Upwarped Mountains
• It is form when forces inside Earth push up the crust. With time, sedimentary rock layers
on top will erode, exposing the igneous or metamorphic rocks underneath. The igneous and
metamorphic rocks can erode further to form sharp peaks and ridges.

Jens Martensson 18