SURFACE FEATURES OF THE EARTH

MOUNTAINS Fold Mountains Fold mountains are the most common type of mountain. The world’s largest mountain ranges are fold mountains. These ranges were formed over millions of years. Fold mountains are formed when two plates collide head on, and their edges crumbled, much the same way as a piece of paper folds when pushed together. Fault-block Mountains These mountains form when faults or cracks in the earth's crust force some materials or blocks of rock up and others down. Dome Mountains Dome mountains are the result of a great amount of melted rock (magma) pushing its way up under the earth crust. Without actually erupting onto the surface, At some point, the magma cools and forms hardened rock. The uplifted area created by rising magma is called a dome because of looking like the top half of a sphere Volcanic Mountains Volcanic Mountains are formed when molten rock (magma) deep within the earth, erupts, and piles upon the surface. Magna is called lava when it breaks through the earth's crust. When the ash and lava cools, it builds a cone of rock. Plateau Mountains (Erosion Mountains) Plateau mountains are not formed by internal activity. Instead, these mountains are formed by erosion. Plateaus are large flat areas that have been pushed above sea level by forces within the Earth, or have been formed by layers of lava.

World Famous Mountains Top 10 List: Mountain Name Country Height First climbed Mount Everest Nepal-Tibet 29,028 1953 K2 Mountain Kashmir 28,250 1954 Kanchenjunga Mountain India-Nepal 28,208 1955 Lhotse Mountain Nepal-Tibet 27,923 1956 Makalu Mountain Nepal-Tibet 27,824 1955 McKinley Mountain United States 20,320 1913 Kilimanjaro Mountain Tanzania 19,340 1889 Ranier Mountain United States 14,410 1870

VOLCANOES There are four kinds of volcanoes that have been discovered on earth: The shield volcano: This volcano is formed from fluid basaltic magma. The explosions made by this volcano are generally less violent than those of other volcanoes. These volcanoes are generally also smaller and flatter than other volcanoes. The cinder cone: These volcanoes are formed by basaltic and andesitic magma, and they are named cinder cones because they blow ash into the sky. Eruptions from these volcanoes tend to contain a lot of gas. The dome: This is a shorter, rounder volcano formed by viscous dacite magma. This volcano has smaller eruptions but more lava flow than the typical volcano. The stratovolcano: This volcano is the most dangerous kind, due to its huge size and height. Formed by andesite and dacite lava, this volcano tends to be extremely dangerous. Firestorms, mud flows and pyroclastic flows are all caused by this type of volcano. The caldera: This is a generally dry, extinct volcano formed near or in water.

Mount Vesuvius, Italy Mount Vesuvius is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes. The eruption of 79 AD destroyed the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The subsequent eruptions have been less severe. It poses many threats to the large population in its vicinity. This makes it a volcano to watch out for. Krakatau, Indonesia Among the 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia, Krakatau is the most famous because of its explosive eruptions. In terms of size, it is not one of the largest volcanoes. It showcased its might in an 1883 explosion, which resulted in the disintegration of the northern portion of the island. This later caused many tsunamis. Nearly 36,000 individuals lost their lives due to the massive walls of water.

EARTHQUAKES An earthquake is a vibration that travels through the earth's crust. We only hear about earthquakes in the news every once in a while, but they are actually an everyday occurrence on our planet. According to the United States Geological Survey, more than three million earthquakes occur every year. That's about 8,000 a day, or one every 11 seconds!

The Richter Scale is used to rate the magnitude of an earthquake -- the amount of energy it released.

MAJOR QUAKES THUS FAR IN 2010: January 3, 2010                     Solomon Islands                Magnitude 7.2  January 10, 2010                  Offshore N. California        Magnitude 6.5  January 12, 2010                  Haiti                                        Magnitude 7.0  February 27, 2010                Chile                                       Magnitude 8.8  March 5, 2010                       Sumatra, Indonesia             Magnitude 6.5  April 4, 2010                          Baja California, Mexico       Magnitude 7.2  April 6, 2010                          Northern Sumatra                 Magnitude 7.7  April 11, 2010                        Solomon Islands                   Magnitude 6.8  April 11, 2010                        Spain                                       Magnitude 6.3  April 13, 2010                        China                                       Magnitude 6.9

TSUNAMI A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explosions, all have the potential to generate a tsunami. Tsunamis have a small amplitude (wave height) offshore, and a very long wavelength which is why they generally pass unnoticed at sea, forming only a slight swell usually about 12 in above the normal sea surface. They grow in height when they reach shallower water

December 26th 2004 2004, Indian Ocean – A recent major earthquake rumbled deep on the floor of the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004. At an estimated magnitude of 9.3, it was the second strongest quake ever recorded by seismologists. Occurring more than 18 miles beneath the ocean, the quake itself was not particularly devastating. Lives were lost and property was damaged in the quake, but because of events that followed there is no reliable estimate of how many or how much. While the quake itself may have caused some damage, the resulting seismic tidal wave it created was legendary. The Indian Ocean Tsunami struck dozens of countries, including parts of India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. Waves measuring between 80 and 100 feet high struck the coastal areas. The force of the waves carried them more than a mile inland, in some areas. Thousands of communities were destroyed, or displaced; resort communities were drowned; coastlines were completely reshaped by the force of the waters; and whole island populations are believed to have perished. Between 175,000 and 250,00 are believed to have perished, though a solid number may never be known, and no reliable estimate of damages yet exists. The entire region was quickly declared a disaster area, and the whole world offered aid. Ultimately, the Indian Ocean Tsunami reached as far as South Africa to the west and Mexico to the east of the quake epicenter. Every ocean, worldwide, showed at least some measurable effect from the event. It is without question the first great natural disaster of the 21st century.