Question

The picture below shows the Himalaya Mountain Range and the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Which of these charts best describes the processes responsible for the formation of the two mountains? (2 points)

Name of mountain Process responsible for formation
Himalaya Mountain Range collision of continental Earth plates
Sierra Nevada Mountains forcing up of crust in a fault zone

Name of mountain Process responsible for formation
Himalaya Mountain Range forcing up of crust in a fault zone
Sierra Nevada Mountains collision of continental Earth plates

Name of mountain Process responsible for formation
Himalaya Mountain Range accumulation of ash after volcanic eruption
Sierra Nevada Mountains erosion of rocks by glaciers

Name of mountain Process responsible for formation
Himalaya Mountain Range erosion of rocks by glaciers
Sierra Nevada Mountains accumulation of ash after volcanic eruption

Answer 1

Himalaya Mountain Range collision of continental Earth plates

Sierra Nevada Mountains forcing up of crust in a fault zone

Step-by-step explanation:

The Sierra Nevada mountain range is a result of forcing up of the crust due to regional uplift of the terrane. The geologic history of the mountain range reveals that the area was previously an oceanic basin.

The North American plate and the Pacific plate converged to form subduction zone. The Pacific plate being more denser subducted and its heating produced magma that collected to form the batholith. With isostatic uplift and erosion, the rocks were exposed to the level found today.

The Himalayan mountain range is also a convergent margin. Here, we have a Continent-Continent collision which continues to lead to a mountain building phase. The Himalaya continues to grow still.

When two plates of equal densities collide, they both lead to an upbuilding.

Both the Himalaya and Sierra Nevada are products of convergent margins. The lithospheric plates can be viewed as a piece of paper floating on water, the asthenosphere.

The denser plates would sink when collision occurs while the lighter one floats.