mountains. where do mountains come from? mountains are formed when two plates within the earth’s...

Mountains

Where do mountains come from?

• Mountains are formed when two plates within the earth’s crust crash together.

• The land shoves up and forms a mountain.• It is usually called a mountain when it is higher

than 600 metres. Less than this is called a hill.• They are made up of rock & earth.

How mountains look

• Mountains usually have steep, sloping sides and sharp or slightly rounded ridges and peaks.

• Mountains usually have steep, sloping sides and sharp or slightly rounded ridges and peaks.

Parts of a mountain

• The summit, or the top of a mountain;

• The slope, or side of the mountain

• A very deep valley between young mountains is known as a gorge.

Types of mountains

• Mountains are formed by slow but gigantic movements of the earth's crust (the outer layer of the Earth).

• The Earth's crust is made up of 6 huge slabs called plates, which fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. When two slabs of the earth's crust smash into each other the land can be pushed upwards, forming mountains.

Mountain formation

• Mountains form in different ways

• Sometimes the crust has folded and buckled, sometimes it breaks into huge blocks. In both cases, great areas of land are lifted upwards to form mountains.

• Other mountains are formed by the earth's crust rising into a dome, or by volcanic activity when the crust cracks open.

Some interesting facts

• Mountains exist under the sea.

• The tallest mountain in space is on Mars.

• The highest 14 mountains in the world are found on the Himalayas, in India, Nepal & China.

• Some mountains have frozen rivers on them called glaciers.

Croagh Patrick• Croagh Patrick is one of our highest

mountains and is named after our patron saint, Saint Patrick. It is a cone shaped mountain. It is in Co .Mayo.

• On the last Sunday of July every year, thousands of people climb this mountain.

• Some people do it in their bare feet as a pilgrimage.

Photo of Croagh Patrick

Map of Co. Mayo

Climbing Croagh Patrick

• It is best to climb this mountain in Spring or Summer.

• The first stop on the way up is a statue of St. Patrick. A priest called Fr. Patterson collected money in America to build this statue in 1928.

• It usually takes 2 hours to ascend & and an hour & a half to descend.

Map of Ireland