What are the tallest and longest mountain chais on Earth? How were they formed?
The tallest mountain chain on Earth is the Himalayas, and the longest is the Andes. Let me explain how they were formed.
The Himalayas were formed due to the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. Around 55 million years ago, the Indian plate started moving northward and eventually collided with the Eurasian plate. This collision caused the Earth's crust to crumple, creating the highest and most towering mountain range we know today.
The Andes, on the other hand, were formed due to a process called subduction. Subduction occurs when one tectonic plate is forced beneath another. In the case of the Andes, the Nazca plate is subducting beneath the South American plate. This process causes magma to rise to the surface, creating volcanic activity, and it also leads to the uplift and formation of the Andes mountain range.
In summary, the Himalayas were formed by the collision of tectonic plates, while the Andes were formed through the subduction of one tectonic plate beneath another.