Mount Everest,
the tallest mountain in
the world, was formed more
than 25 million years ago, but the
movement of shifting tectonic plates
means that it is still rising by one
centimetre a year! Mountains take millions
of years to form.
Many mountains are
formed when the
Ear th’s tectonic plates
smash together.
Tectonic plates are
made of something called
continental crust, which is the
outermost sur face of the planet
When two of these plates come
together, their edges get crumpled,
causing huge rocks to be pushed up to
the sur face.
The resulting huge rock formations are
known as mountains.Magnificent
Mountains
YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD ABOUT
MOUNT EVEREST, THE TALLEST MOUNTAIN
IN THE WORLD, WHICH STANDS AT MORE
THAN 8,800 METRES! BUT HOW IS IT
SO TALL? HOW ARE MOUNTAINS EVEN
CREATED? LET’S FIND OUT!2525
No.49 Issue 3Continental Crust