Why do some mountains keep growing while others erode away?
Quick Answer
Mountains grow when tectonic forces keep uplifting crust faster than wind, water, and ice can wear it down. When uplift slows or stops, erosion eventually lowers the range.
The Full Story
Mountain building, or orogeny, happens during plate collisions, crustal shortening, or volcanic construction. The Himalayas are still rising because India continues to converge with Eurasia, while the Appalachians are old and have been worn down for hundreds of millions of years. Ice, rivers, landslides, and weathering steadily remove material from mountain belts. Whether a mountain remains high depends on the balance between tectonic uplift and erosion over long periods.
Key Facts
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Some mountains are being built right now — others are slowly disappearing."
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