地球上壮观的山脉都与板块构造运动有着密切的关系。大多数山脉位于大陆边缘的消减带,但是有些山脉则是受大陆张裂作用引发的隆起作用才形成。这些山脉一旦隆起,侵蚀作用也开始了。这些山脉愈高,积聚在上面的雨和雪就愈多,当然山脉被水和冰切蚀掉的部分也愈多。又高又崎岖的山脉正是造山运动还在进行的证明。如果隆起作用停止,随即而来的侵蚀作用会将山脉侵蚀成小山丘。这些小山丘在地形上虽然已不是高山,但是从它的岩石组成仍然可辨认出它过去曾是高山。 The spectacular mountains on earth have a close relationship with plate tectonics. Most of the mountains are located on the margin of the continental margin, but some of the mountains are formed by the uplift of the mainland. Once these mountains uplift, the erosion began. The higher these mountains are, the more rain and snow accumulates on them, and of course the more the mountains are eclipsed by water and ice. The tall and rugged mountains are proof of the ongoing orogeny. If the uplift stops, the ensuing erosion erodes the mountains into small hills. Although these hills are no longer alpine in the terrain, its composition from the rock still identifies it as an alpine past.