The Alps in Europe, the Rockies in North America and the Andes in South America are examples of what?
The Alps, Rockies and Andes are all primary examples of Fold mountains. They are geologically “young” (Tertiary period) and were formed by the massive compression of the Earth’s crust at plate boundaries. These ranges are characterized by high elevation, rugged terrain and complex folding of sedimentary rock layers that were once on the ocean floor. ANSWER: (C) Fold mountains
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These three massive ranges—the Alps, Rockies and Andes—are the “spine” of their respective continents and share a common origin as Fold mountains. Geographically, they represent the results of intense orogenic activity where tectonic plates converged. The Alps were formed by Africa pushing into Europe; the Rockies and Andes by oceanic plates subducting beneath North and South America. They are characterized by “anticlines” (upward folds) and “synclines” (downward folds). Because they are geologically recent, they have not been leveled by erosion, maintaining the highest continental elevations and significantly affecting global wind and rainfall patterns.