Which type of mountain is not formed due to plate collision?
The Correct answer and Explanation is:
Answer: Volcanic mountains
Explanation:
Mountains can form in several different ways, most of which are related to tectonic plate movements. The majority of mountain types, such as fold mountains and fault-block mountains, are formed due to the collision or movement of tectonic plates. However, volcanic mountains are an exception—they are not typically formed by plate collisions.
Volcanic mountains are primarily formed when magma from beneath the Earth’s crust escapes to the surface through volcanic activity. This process occurs at both convergent plate boundaries, where one plate is subducted under another, and at divergent plate boundaries, where plates pull apart. These mountains also form in areas of volcanic hotspots, where magma rises through the crust independent of plate boundaries.
Unlike fold mountains, which are created when two tectonic plates collide and push layers of the Earth’s crust into folds (such as the Himalayas or the Alps), or fault-block mountains, which are formed by tensional forces causing large blocks of the Earth’s crust to be uplifted or tilted (such as the Sierra Nevada in the United States), volcanic mountains form due to volcanic activity. Magma, when erupted from a volcano, cools and solidifies, creating a mountainous structure over time.
Famous examples of volcanic mountains include Mount Fuji in Japan, Mount St. Helens in the United States, and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. These are formed by the repeated accumulation of volcanic materials like lava, ash, and volcanic rock.
In contrast to mountains formed by the collision of tectonic plates, volcanic mountains are primarily a result of the internal dynamics of the Earth, such as mantle plumes and volcanic hotspots, which can occur far from tectonic boundaries.