Why are there mountains?
Mountains grow when giant pieces of the ground push together and crumple up.
Pip’s answer
- Mountains grow when giant pieces of the ground push together and crumple up.
- It's like pushing a rug across the floor until it makes a big bump!
- Some mountains are volcanoes, built from hot lava that cooled into rock.
- Wow-ee, the tallest mountains took millions and millions of years to grow!
Try it together
Can you make a pointy mountain with your hands?
For grown-ups
Many mountains form where tectonic plates collide and push rock upward, folding and crumpling it over millions of years; the Himalayas are still rising. Others are volcanoes built from layers of lava and ash. Wind, water and ice slowly wear mountains down.
Ask your child: Is our nearest mountain getting taller or shorter?
More questions kids ask
- 🌍Why are there earthquakes?
- 🌋Why do volcanoes erupt?
- 🏞️Why do rivers flow?
- 🌤️Why is the sky blue?
- 🌅Why are sunsets orange?
- 🌈Why are there rainbows?
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