RE - Fold Mountains

Question 1

Where and how are fold mountains formed?

Answer 1

They are formed when plates collide at destructive margins

Question 2

Describe in more detail about how fold mountains are formed

Answer 2

When tectonic plates collide the sedimentary rocks that have been built up between them are folded and forced upwards to form a mountains.

Question 3

What two types of plates collide and give an example of a place it takes place

Answer 3

• Continental and oceanic eg the Andes in South America

- Two continental eg Himalayas in Asia

Question 4

Give a few characteristics of fold mountains

Answer 4

• Very high mountains
• Mountains are rocky with steep slopes
• Snow and glaciers in highest bit
• Lakes and valleys between mountains

Question 5

What are the five things humans use fold mountains for?

Answer 5

• Farming
• Hydro-Electric power (HEP)
• Mining
• Forestry
• Tourism

Question 6

Describe more about the farming (higher and lower slopes)

Answer 6

Higher slopes - not great for growing crops so used to graze animals
Lower slopes - grow crops and sometimes terraced making it easier

Question 7

Describe more hydro-electric power (HEP)

Answer 7

Steep sided mountains and high lakes (to store water) make fold mountains ideal for generating HEP

Question 8

Describe more about mining

Answer 8

• Major source of metal ores (lots of mining going on)

- Steep slopes make access difficult so zigzag roads have been carved

Question 9

Describe more the forestry

Answer 9

• Good environment to grow types of trees (conifers)

- Trees used for things like fuel, building material to make things like paper and furniture

Question 10

Describe more tourism

Answer 10

• Spectacular scenery attracts tourists
• In winter people visit to do skiing, snowboarding and ice climbing
• In summer walkers come

Tunnels have been built to make it easily by having straight and fast road improving communication for tourists and the local people

Question 11

What is the case study for fold mountains?

Answer 11

The Alps, a mountain fold range

Question 12

Give some facts about the Alps (location, formation, tallest peak and population)

Answer 12

Location: Central Europe

Formation: Formed around 30 million years ago by a collision between the African and European plates

Tallest peak: Mont Blanc at 4810m in the Italian-French border

Population: Around 12 million people

Question 13

What is the farming like at the Alps?

Answer 13

• Steep upland slopes used to farm goats (provide cheese, milk and meat)
• Sunnier slopes have been terraced to plant vineyards eg Lavaux, Switzerland

Question 14

What is tourism like at the Alps?

Answer 14

• 100 million tourists visit each year (boost local economy)
• 70% of tourists visit in the winter for winter sports (skiing….)
• In the summer tourists visit for walking, mountain biking, climbing and paragliding
• New villages have been built to cater the quantity of tourists eg Tignes in France
• Ski runs, ski lifts, cable cars, holiday chalets and restaurants have been built

Question 15

How is HEP used and give an example of a place in the Alps?

Answer 15

• Narrow valleys are dammed to generate it (electricity produced is used in local homes and business and exported to towns and cities further away)

It is used in the Berne area in Switzerland. It gets 60% of their electricity for HEP stations

Question 16

What metal ores are mined in the Alps? And why has it declined?

Answer 16

• Salt
• Iron ore
• Gold
• Silver
• Copper

It has declined dramatically due to cheaper foreign sources

Question 17

What is forestry like on the Alps?

Answer 17

Scot Pine is planted all over - more resilient to the munching of goats - and are logged and sold to make things like furniture

Question 18

How have adapted to steep relief, poor soils and limited communication in the Alps?

Answer 18

1) Steep relief - goats are farmed because they are well adapted to the conditions and trees are man-made defences against avalanches and rock slide
2) Poor soil - animals grazed in highest areas so the soil isn’t great for growing crops
3) Limited communications - roads have been built over passes and been cut through mountains to provide fast transport links