Danny Dove.. age 14., of Toronto, Ontario.,

Why are some mountains rounded and some jagged?

No mountain exists forever, though it will be on the earth for millions and millions of years. It begins, grows reaches its prime and gradually wears away. During this time it goes through many phases.

A mountain range begins to poke up as a row of rounded hills. The gently rolling Coastals along the California coast are the worlds youngest mountains. They may keep on growing. The earth’s rocky crust may bend and fold cracking great slabs and shoving them up to form jagged peaks, Who knows in a hundred million years the Coastals may be as tall and jagged as the Rockies.

The jagged mountain tops are in the prime of life, The Himalayasp the Andes and the Rockies are now at their prime and the Himalayas are still growing. Will these jagged monsters stay the way they are far ever and ever? Not at all. From the time when a mountain first pokes up its nose it is at war with the weather. Frost and heat crack and chip the boulders, wind and rain smooth the rocky ledges and wear away the jagged peaks, While the mountain is growing it can keep ahead of the weathering process. When it stops growing, rain, winds and frost take over and in a hundred million years or so the jagged peaks have become rounded hills.

The Laurentians of Canada are old old mountains. Their ancient peaks are worn down to round hills, The young Coastals of California are young rounded hills. Mountains it seems are gentle hills in childhood and old age.