Question #439e0
1 Answer
Almost all existing (and non-manmade) landforms are due to tectonic plates; Mountains, volcanoes, and ocean trenches are some of the most common.
Explanation:
When two plates move together, they can fold upward and create a mountain. The Appalachian Mountains in eastern United States of America were created an estimated 480 million years ago during the Ordovician period. The Taconic orogeny is responsible for most of that range by moving sediments down from the north of the New England region.
When oceanic plates move together, volcanoes can be formed. Mauna Loa in Hawaii, USA was created an estimated 1 million years ago. The pressure of the volcano's surrounding rocks will create bubbling that will eventually lead to an eruption.
Ocean trenches can be created by colliding plates or the sea floor moving together. These trenches can be very long and narrow, found in the deepest parts of the oceans. Mariana Trench is very old, one of the oldest of the Pacific Crust, aging at approximately 180 million years old.
There are more than these, but this is to give you an idea of what can happen and form if tectonic plates converge and grind together. Landforms such as these are born!
