How are mountains formed?

The first mountains and valleys were the crust formed as a result of the cooling of the molten mass of the earth. As the planet contracted the crust twisted and cracked, forming new mountains.

      Mountains are still being formed by volcanic eruption. A crack is the earth’s crust allows molten rock and ash to be forced out, forming a cone-shaped mountain growing as it continues to erupt.

    Fault-mountains are formed when the earth’s crust cracks, or faults, under pressure from inside, and one side of the break is pushed up against the other to form a cliff.

    The highest mountains are in the Himalayas where some are over 25,000 feet. Only in the Rocky Mountains and in the Andes are there any others over 20,000 feet.

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