Final answer:
Landforms such as plains, mountains, and islands are shaped by tectonic plate movements, erosion, and volcanic activity that cause the Earth's crust to uplift, fold, and erode, resulting in diverse terrains.
Step-by-step explanation:
Landforms such as plains, mountains, and islands are created by various physical processes. The Earth's crust is dynamic, with tectonic plates moving and colliding. For example, when two continental masses collide, intense pressure causes the Earth to buckle and fold, creating mountain ranges like the Alps, formed by the collision of the African and Eurasian plates.
Erosion by water and ice also plays a significant role in shaping these landforms. After a mountain range is formed, ice can sculpt its rocks, creating jagged peaks and valleys. Without such erosive forces, as seen on celestial bodies like the Moon, mountains would remain relatively smooth.
Similarly, volcanic activity contributes to landform creation. Tectonic and volcanic forces can crack the crust and create mountain ranges, which, in some cases, are adjacent to valleys that are a few kilometers apart, resulting in a ridged landscape. These processes combined with erosion and other environmental factors contribute to the varied and beautiful topography of our planet.