Describe the formation of mountains and their types.

A mountain is a very steep land or hill rising to great heights above the land surrounding it. Mountains are classified into three types based on the forces that have formed them.

1. Fold mountains — Fold mountains are the result of large-scale earth movements caused by stresses in the earth’s crust. Such stresses may be caused by weight of the overlying rocks, movements in the mantle, the expansion or contraction of some part of the earth, etc. These stresses subject the rocks to compressive forces, producing wrinkling or folding along the lines of weakness. For example- the Himalayas in India.

2. Residual Mountains — Mountains which are subjected to weathering and erosion for a longtime, are lowered down and called residual or relict mountains. Denudation and erosion by natural agents like winds, water, snow etc., cause the mountains to be lowered but some resistant areas may remain and form residual mountains. They may also be formed on plateaus that are dissected by rivers. For example- Nilgiri in India.

3. Block Mountains — It is an uplifted land mass situated between two adjacent faults. The central block is upthrown or land on the outer-sides of the faults is downthrown so that the central mass appears like a highland. Its surface is like a plateau, but it has steep edges. For example- Vosges in Europe.