Valleys and mountain ranges form through the processes of tectonic activity and erosion. Tectonic activity occurs when the Earth's lithospheric plates collide, separate, or slide past each other, creating geological features such as mountains and valleys. When two plates collide, they can cause the Earth's crust to buckle and fold, resulting in the formation of mountain ranges. Over time, the action of water, wind, and ice erodes the elevated areas, carving out valleys between the mountains.
Valleys and mountain ranges form through the process of mountain building, also known as orogeny. Orogeny occurs when tectonic plates converge, diverge, or slide past each other. When plates converge, one can be pushed beneath the other, resulting in the formation of mountain ranges. As the Earth's crust is compressed, it folds and creates both uplifted areas (mountains) and depressed areas (valleys) between them. Over time, erosion by water, ice, and wind modifies these landforms, further shaping valleys and mountain ranges.
