The softer rocks of the upland are eroded considerably more quickly than the harder rock sections due to erosion agents. Soft rocks are worn down into the sand over thousands of years, leaving hard rocks standing tall in the area that has been decreased in height. These are referred to as “residual mountains.” Relict mountains are another name for residual mountains.
Examples of Residual Mountains:
- Girnar hills,
- Nilgiri hills,
- Sierra of Spain
Formation of Residual Mountains
- Relic mountains are erosion-type mountains that have been generated through time by the gradual disintegration of the outer layer or surface layer of mountains.
- These are mainly solitary mountains that are lower in elevation than the most recently produced mountains.
- Relict mountains are erosion-type mountains formed over time by the slow disintegration of the mountain’s exterior layer or surface layer.
- The majority of these mountains are solitary and lower in elevation than the most recently created mountains.
- Mountains can still be found in a number of locations.
- The most well-known are the Sierras de Europa in Spain and the Mesas in the United States.
- The Aravalli Mountains, Bihar’s Parasnath Mountain, Tamil Nadu’s Nallamala Hills, Odisha’s Mahendragiri, the Veliconda Hills, Javadi Hills, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu’s Palkonda ranges, and many others are instances of Relict mountains in India.
Significance of Residual Mountains
- Residual mountains are those that have been eroded by erosion forces such as winds, rain, snow, and flowing water.
- The hefty rocks that are left behind are known as residual mountains. Existing mountains, such as folds, blocks, and volcanoes, make up these mountains.
- Erosion affects the soils on the surface of mountains because it is a natural process of deterioration and transfer of soil particles.
- The top fine layer of soil on it is washed away by blowing winds and flowing water during rainstorms.
- The bedrock under this layer is then exposed, leaving the mountain looking stony and barren of vegetation.
- Though this stony surface is resistant to erosion, it can progressively deteriorate and dissolve over time.
- After a lengthy period of time, the height falls and the size shrinks.
- In general, Relict mountains are the degraded mountains that remain after denudation.
Read Also: Types Of Volcanic Mountains
