what are landforms that rise to peaks above 200 feet
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Landforms that rise to peaks above 200 feet are typically classified as hills or mountains, depending on their height, shape, and formation. The correct answer is mountains.
Explanation:
Mountains are large natural elevations of the Earth’s surface that rise prominently above their surroundings. To qualify as a mountain, a landform must typically rise at least 1,000 feet (approximately 300 meters) above the surrounding land. However, some definitions are more flexible and recognize landforms as mountains if they exceed 200 feet (about 60 meters) in height, especially in relatively flat regions where even smaller elevations are noticeable.
Hills, on the other hand, are elevated landforms that are lower and less steep than mountains. While there is no universally agreed-upon height limit between hills and mountains, hills are often considered to be less than 1,000 feet high. In some regions, landforms that rise between 200 and 1,000 feet may still be referred to as hills depending on local terminology and geological history.
The formation of these elevated landforms results from a variety of geological processes:
- Tectonic activity causes the Earth’s crust to fold, fault, or uplift, creating towering mountains like the Himalayas or the Andes.
- Volcanic activity forms mountains through repeated eruptions, which build up layers of lava and ash over time.
- Erosion and weathering shape existing landforms into peaks by wearing away the softer surrounding material, often leaving harder rock behind.
In summary, landforms that rise to peaks above 200 feet can be considered either hills or mountains, but the most accurate term for significant elevation above this height is mountains, especially when the prominence and steepness are notable. Their appearance and classification also depend on the regional geography and cultural naming conventions.
