[Geography Notes] on Residual Mountains Pdf for Exam

A residual mountain or mountains of denudation is a type of landform that gets made over the years following the erosion of already elevated lands. The shape of the earth’s surface can be altered by forces both within and outside the earth. Geomorphic powers have also been discussed in previous Geography notes. Many different landforms can be created by endogenic and exogenic forces. A landform is a normal characteristic of the Earth’s solid surface. 

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The Formation of Residual Mountains

In the subjects of geography and geology, we get to learn about different types of landforms that we find on the land surface of the earth. These landforms are formed by different external factors or geological forces acting over a long period of time. Mountains are such a special feature on the face of the earth. These are the structures present as an elevation with respect to their surrounding area. The most common identification is by the presence of steep on all its sides. The summits are usually conical. but the top can also be in the shape of a ridgeline if the mountain is a part of the mountain range. The forces or processes responsible for the formation of mountains or their rising can be many. The movement of tectonic plates and volcanoes are identified as the primary forces for the uplift of the land at certain points and are termed as fold mountains, volcanic mountains.

After the formation of mountains, it again undergoes various external forces of nature and changes continuously. As erosion is the natural phenomenon of degradation and transfer of soil particles it also affects the soils on the surface of mountains. Blowing winds and flowing water during rains wash away the top fine layer of the soil present on it. Then the bedrock present beneath this layer gets exposed and the mountain looks rocky devoid of any vegetation. Though this rocky surface is resistant to the forces of erosion, over time it can also degrade and erode gradually. After a long period of time, the height decreases and the size gets smaller and smaller. These degraded mountains left after the denudation are known as residual mountains in general terms.