Orogeny is the process of mountain building which occurs through the convergence of tectonic plates and subduction zones. Mountains can be formed by hot spots in the Earth's crust like the Hawaiian Islands, or through the convergence of oceanic plates forming island arcs, oceanic and continental plates forming volcanic mountain ranges, or two continental plates forming non-volcanic mountain ranges like fold mountains such as the Alps, Urals, and Himalayas.

1. OROGENY is the process of mountain building. Orogeny occurs through CONVERGENCE, SUBDUCTION AND . . .

2. HOT SPOTS Hot Spots are thin places in the Earth’s crust where magma from the mantel burns through producing Volcanic mountains. The Hawaiian Islands were formed over a Hot Spot...

3. . . . and as the plate continues to pass over the Hot Spot, another island is being formed!

4. Back to CONVERGENCE... Plates can CONVERGE in one of three ways: #1 an Oceanic Plate collides with another Oceanic Plate -- forming Island Arcs #2 an Oceanic Plate collides with a Continental Plate -- forming Volcanic Mountain Ranges #3 a Continental Plate collides with another Continental Plate -- forming non-Volcanic Mountain Ranges

5. Fold Mountains Fold Mountains are created when Continental Land masses converge

6. The Alps, the Urals, and the Himalayas are common Fold Mountains are common Fold Mountains

7. The Alps Mountain range is formed by the collision of the African Plate and the Eurasian Plate The Matterhorn (above) and Mount Blanc (below) are 2 more of the more famous mountains in the Alps

8. The Ural Mountains form the geographical boundary between Europe and Asia. The Ural Moutains are located in Russia