How were the Rocky Mountains formed?
As the Pacific plate subducted under the North American plate, it caused pressure felt throughout the North American plate. It was being compressed by its own movement, and the Pacific plate. Over millions of years the pressure built up. It was released as rock strata cracked and moved on top of each other. As they pushed against each other, they pushed up and up. It happened in 2 major pushes millions of years ago, lasting millions of years each. They caused the mountains from Alaska to New Mexico to grow. There are very accurate sensors on some mountain peaks that measure the continuing changes today. They are still growing in some places, very slowly. There is more info at the site below. I hope this helps. Sources: http://www.mountainnature.com/geology/platetectonics.
As the Pacific plate subducted under the North American plate, it caused pressure felt throughout the North American plate. It was being compressed by its own movement, and the Pacific plate. Over millions of years the pressure built up. It was released as rock strata cracked and moved on top of each other. As they pushed against each other, they pushed up and up. It happened in 2 major pushes millions of years ago, lasting millions of years each. They caused the mountains from Alaska to New Mexico to grow. There are very accurate sensors on some mountain peaks that measure the continuing changes today. They are still growing in some places, very slowly. There is more info at the site below. I hope this helps.
