Download 2007 Q3 B folding faulting on landscape

Leaving Certificate Physical Geography
2007 Q 3 (b)
Q:
Examine the impact of folding and faulting on the landscape. In
your answer, refer to one landform in each case. (30 marks)
A landform created by folding is a fold mountain. An example of a fold mountain is
the Munster Ridge in Ireland and the Himalayas in Asia.
A landform created by faulting is a Rift valley. A good example of a rift valley is in
the African Rift Valley in Africa.
Folding of rocks happens when they are compressed or squeezed. This compression
occurs when the earth's tectonic plates collide and move. As a result, the rocks are
folded and uplifted and make fold mountains. Geologists call this oregeny.
The Munster province of Ireland is made up of fold mountains. About 350 million
years ago red sandstone rock was formed but it was covered with limestone. These
two rocks were compressed together during the Amorican fold mountain time. The
limestone was eroded from the fold anticlines and they are exposed today as
sandstone mountain ridges like the Macguillycuddy's Reeks in county Cork. The
limestone is still in the fold synclines which can be seen in the big east-west
trending valleys like the Blackwater Valley.
Faults care created when the rocks of the earth's crust are pulled apart by tension.
This tension is caused by the movement of the tectonic plates and the rocks split.
When more than one fault are parallel to each other the land might move up
because of compression or down if there is tension. A Rift Valley forms when
stretching of the earth's crust causes the land between the parallel faults to sink.
This makes a flat-floored valley with steep slopes on each side.
The African Rift Valley is over 5,000 kilometers long and is up to 100 kilometres
wide. It looks like a huge scar in the earth's crust from space.
Labelled Diagram: