Science- Grade 10
Plate Tectonics
MOUNTAIN RANGES OF THE WORLD
I. INTRODUCTORY CONCEPT
Have you seen a mountain range? Have you heard about the Sierra Madre
Mountain Range, the longest mountain range in the Philippines?
A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills ranged in a line
and connected by a high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of
mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that arise from the
same cause, usually an orogeny. Mountain ranges are formed by a variety of
geological processes, but most of the significant ones on Earth are the results of
plate tectonics. Mountain ranges are also found on many planetary mass objects in
the Solar System and are likely a feature of most terrestrial planets.
Source: Mountain Range, May 27, 2020(last edited) retrieved from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_range
.
II. LEARNING COMPETENCIES
Describe the distribution of active volcanoes, earthquake epicenters and
major mountain belts. (S10ES-1a-j36.1)
Objectives:
1. Describe how mountain ranges are formed;
2. Locate mountain ranges of the world; and
3. Relate the occurrence of mountain ranges to Plate Tectonic Theory.
III. ACTIVITIES
3.1 ELICIT:
Direction: TRUE OR FALSE? Write TRUE if the statement is correct and if it is
incorrect, write FALSE.
1. A mountain range is a group or chain of mountains located close to each
other.
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2. Most mountain ranges are formed at divergent boundaries.
3. The Himalayas is an example of a mountain range.
4. The Himalayas were formed when the Nazca oceanic plate moved towards
and was subducted under the continental crust on the west coast of South
America.
5. The longest mountain range in the world is the mid-ocean ridge.
B. Match column A with column B. Write only the letter of your answer.
A B
1. mountain range A. general term used by geologists
to describe mountain building
process.
2. plate tectonic B. an area on Earth where two or
more lithospheric plates collide.
3. convergent boundary 1. C. 2. a theory explaining the structure
of the earth's crust and many
associated phenomena as
resulting from the interaction of
rigid lithospheric plates which
move slowly over the underlying
mantle.
4. subduction zone D. a series of mountains or hills
ranged in a line and connected by
a high ground.
5. orogeny E. One plate eventually slides
beneath the other
3.2 ENGAGE:
Direction: Study the figure on the next page then answer the questions that follow.
Questions:
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1. What can you say about the location of the mountain ranges?
Map of the World’s Largest Mountain Ranges
Source:https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/comments/aotvgo/mountain_ranges_of_the_w
orld_has_anyone_ever/ (accessed: June 18, 2020)
______________________________________________________________
2. Are the mountain ranges located randomly around the earth?
______________________________________________________________
3. List at least 5 mountain ranges.
______________________________________________________________
3.3 EXPLORE:
FORMATION OF MOUNTAIN RANGES
Directions: Describe how mountains/ mountain ranges are formed by providing the
correct answer in the blank. Choose your answer from the choices inside the box.
oceanic plates continental drift
towards/against tectonic plates
away pressure
1. The Earth’s surface is made up of a series of large plates (like pieces of giant
jigsaw puzzle) called __________.
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Source: Lora Gordon, How are mountains formed? https://slideplayer.com/slide/4681378/
2. These plates are in constant motion travelling at a few centimeters per year. This
is called __________.
Source: Lora Gordon, How are mountains formed?
https://slideplayer.com/slide/4681378/
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3. They move because a plume of magma is rising deep within the earth’s mantle
(the outer layer of the earth). As it moves, __________ builds up which forces the
plates to move.
4. As they move __________ each other, they cause sites of intense geologic
activity, such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building.
Source: Lora Gordon, How are mountains formed?
https://slideplayer.com/slide/4681378/
3.4 EXPLAIN:
MOUNTAIN RANGES
What is a mountain range?
A mountain range is a group or chain of mountains located close together.
Since neighboring mountains often share the same geological origin, these mountain
ranges will have similar forms, sizes and ages.
https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-a-mountain-range-definition-lesson-
quiz.html
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How are mountain ranges formed?
Most mountain ranges have been formed at convergent boundaries where
two plates move towards each other.
https://kisialevelgeography.wordpress.com/as-rocks-weathering/
How Andes, Himalayas and Mid-Ocean Ridge were formed:
Andes
Source:https://kisialevelgeography.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/picture321.jpg
(accessed June 18, 2020)
The Andes Formation
1. The Andes were formed when the Nazca oceanic plate moved towards and
subducted under continental crust on the west coast of South America
2. When the subduction occurred, rocks from the continental margin of south
America were folded
3. Additionally, pieces of the subducting plates were scraped off and became
part of an accretionary wedge adding to the mountain range
4. This subduction also resulted in partial melting of the subducting plate
producing volcanoes in this mountain range
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Himalayas
Source: https://kisialevelgeography.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/picture415.jpg
(accessed June 18,2020)
1. The Himalayas were formed when two continental plates collided as Indian
plate moved towards the rest of Asia during the last 70 million years
2. The leading edge of the Indian plate was thrust beneath the edge of the Asian
continent
3. In the collision zone the Asia overrides India and is therefore uplifted and
folded to form mountains
4. As no magma escapes from the surface in the Himalayan region there is little
volcanic activity.
Mid-Atlantic Ridge
1. The tectonic plates on either side of the fault, started pulling away separating
from each other. This led to the breaking of the earth’s crust causing
earthquakes.
2. Constant movements of rock and earth moving up and down caused the
magma under the new and thin crust to erupt to form volcanic mounds.
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3. These new centers of spreading volcanic material form new ridges and
valleys along the fault to create valleys and mountains, with the flowing
magma, causing the older crust to cool and move towards the peripheral area
of the ridge, while the new magma flows stay near the ridge crest. This
process continually widens the seabed, and increases the size of the ridge,
and the distance between the continents.
4. Such violent activity on a global scale sometimes causes the magnetic poles
of the earth to reverse.
5. At present, the valley between the crest of the ridge is around 75 miles wide
and around 3 miles deep.
Source: https://sciencestruck.com/how-was-mid-atlantic-ridge-formed (accessed
June 18, 2020)
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LIST OF MAJOR MOUNTAIN RANGES
1. The Himalayan Mountain Range
Source:
upload.wikimedia.org
The Himalayas or Himalaya is a form of a mountain range in Asia separating
the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. It is a young fold
mountain of the tertiary period which was folded over Tethys Sea due to the inter-
continental collision. It extends for about 2500 km between Indus and Brahmaputra
gorges from west to east in an arc-shaped manner. It plays an important role in the
determination of the climate of Indian Sub-continent. It has enormous potential for
various metallic minerals like Cobalt, Nickel, Zinc, Copper, Antimony, and Bismuth.
Highest Peak: Mount Everest (8,848 m)
2. The Alps Mountain Range
Source: www.worldatlas.com
The Alps Mountain Range is the highest and most extensive mountain range system
of Europe, stretching approximately 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) across eight Alpine
countries (from west to east): France, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Liechtenstein,
Austria, Germany, and Slovenia. It plays an important role in the determination of the
climate of Europe.
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Highest Peak: Mont Blanc (4,808.73 m)
3. The Atlas Mountains Range
The Atlas Mountains Range stretches around 2,500 km (1,600 mi) through Morocco,
Algeria and Tunisia. It separates the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines from the
Sahara Desert and inhabited by Berber populations. It was formed during the
Precambrian period.
Highest Peak: Toubkal (4,167 m)
4. The Andes Mountain Range
The Andes or Andean Mountain Range is the longest continental mountain range in
the world, stretching approximately 7,000 km (4,300 mi). It is formed by a continuous
highland along the western edge of South America.
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Highest Peak: Aconcagua (6,961m)
5. The Rocky Mountain Range
Source: en.wikipedia.org
The Rocky Mountain Range situated in western North America, stretches more than
3,000 miles (4,800 km) from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western
Canada, to New Mexico, in the Southwestern United States. It is protected by public
parks and forest lands and is a popular tourist destination, especially for hiking,
camping, mountaineering, fishing, hunting, mountain biking, skiing, and
snowboarding.
Highest Peak: Mount Elbert (4,401 m)
The position of the mountain range influences the climate of any region. It also
obstructs the moisture laden winds. For Example- Himalayas act as a climate barrier
by blocking extremely cold winds coming from the Central Asia and Siberia. These
mountain ranges are also the source of the rivers. (Anwar, 2018)
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3.5 ELABORATE:
Directions: Identify the mountain ranges pointed by each arrow. You can use a
world map as a reference.
1 4
Source: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Label-Map-of-the-World-Continents-
Oceans-Mountain-Ranges-1022478 (accessed June 18, 2020)
3.6 EVALUATE
1-5. Write TRUE if the statement is correct and if it is incorrect, write FALSE
then change the underlined word/s with the correct term to make it true.
1. A mountain range is a group or chain of mountains located close to each other.
2. Most mountain ranges are formed at divergent boundaries.
3. The Himalayas is an example of a mountain range.
4. The Himalayas were formed when the Nazca oceanic plate moved towards and
subducted under the continental crust on the west coast of South America.
5. The longest mountain range in the world is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
6-7 Identify what is being defined/described in each statement.
______________________6. A series of mountains or hills ranged in a line and
connected by a high ground.
______________________7. An area on Earth where two or more lithospheric
plates collide.
8-10. Enumerate 3 mountain ranges and name the plate/plates where they are
located
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3.7 EXTEND:
Directions: Study the world map below showing the major tectonic plates. Take note
of the direction of the blue arrows.
Source: https://images.mapsofworld.com/answers/2018/10/map-plate-tectonics.png
(accessed June 18, 2020)
Questions:
1. What do the arrows mean?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2. Are the plates moving towards the same or different directions?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3. What are the plates that are moving towards each other?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
4. What will happen if two plates will move toward each other?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
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IV. REFLECTION
I have learned that ______________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
I wish to ask my teacher about _____________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
V. ANSWER KEY
ELICIT ENGAGE
A. 1. The mountain ranges are found along
1. True the boundaries of tectonic plates.
2. False 2. They are not randomly located. They
3. True are located along convergent
4. False boundaries.
5. True 3.
B. Rockies
1.D Appalachian
2.C Andes
3. B Alps
4. E Altas
5. A Himalaya
Great Dividing Range
Brooks Range
Tien Shen
Hindu Kush
Kolyma Range
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EXPLORE ELABORATE
1. tectonic plates 1. Rockies
2. continental drift 2. Alps
3. pressure 3. Andes
4. towards/ against 4. Himalayas
EVALUATE EXTEND
A. 1. The arrows mean that the plates are
1. True moving in different directions.
2. Convergent Boundaries 2. Different directions
3. True 3. Example of possible answers:
4. Andes Indo-Australian Plate and Eurasian Plate
5. True Nasca Plate and South American Plate
B. Pacific Plate and Eurasian Plate
6. Mountain Range
7. Convergent Zone
8-10 (Answers may vary)
Himalayas- Idian-Australian Plate and
Eurasian Plate
Andes-Nazca Plate and South
American Plate
Sierra Madre Mountain Range-
Philippine Plate
VI. REFERENCES
Acosta, H.D. (2015). Science-Grade 10 Learner’s Module. Pasig City:
Department of Education.
Anwar, S. (2018, February 2). Retrieved July 27, 2020, from
https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/list-of-major-mountain-
ranges-of-the-world-1517574937-1
Unknown. (n.d). Retrieved July 27, 2020, from https://sciencestruck.com/how-
was-mid-atlantic-ridge-formed
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Writers:
MAE B. RACELIS - Teacher III, Zeferino Arroyo High School
MARY ROSE S. AMISOLA - Teacher I, Zeferino Arroyo High School
Reviewers:
MANUEL LUIS F. TEODORO- EPS Science, Masbate Province
HELEN Z. CORNELIO- EPS Science, Iriga City
MARNEL M. BULLO- Teacher III, Cataingan NHS
ELENITA P. FABELLA- Master Teacher II, Palanas North CS
Editors:
LOURDES P. CASTROVERDE, Head Teacher III, Science
Zeferino Arroyo High School
MARISOL D. ANDRADA- Master Teacher I, Sto. Niño National High School
ALVIN C. BORROMEO – Principal II, Bantayan NHS, Tabaco City
Layout Artist:
MYLA ANN A. BERNALES- Teacher I, Rinconada National Technical
Vocational School
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