Fold mountains form due to powerful compressional forces bending and crumpling rocks underground. These forces cause the formation of anticlines, where rocks fold upwards, and synclines, where rocks fold downwards. Many young fold mountains are found along plate boundaries where compressional forces from colliding plates cause massive folding of rocks. Examples of fold mountains formed this way include the Himalayas, the Rockies, and the Andes. Folding occurs in stages from symmetrical to asymmetrical folds and eventually to overfolds and overthrusts as the compressional forces increase.

1. The process in which rocks are bent and crumpled due to compressional forces which form upfolds or ANTICLINES and the downfold or SYNCLINE FOLDING PROCESS PRODUCE FOLD MOUNTAINS

2. Fold mountains are mountains formed by powerful compressional forces in the crust. These forces cause bending of the rock strata The anticline/uplifted crust, forms FOLD MOUNTAINS

3. The young fold mountains are found in three main belts: Along the whole of west coast of North and South America. Stretches from parts of the Mediterranean and South Europe along with the Northern tip of Africa to parts of the middle east, the Himalayas and Bangladesh, and also further down to parts of SEA like Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia and ending south in New Zealand Stretches from Eastern Russia and Korea to Japan and Northeast China Why in this region? [2 REASONS] These areas are found mainly along the boundaries of plates moving towards each other. Here, great compressional forces causes massive folding of rocks forming the young fold mountains. EXAMPLE: THE HIMALAYAS, THE ROCKIES, THE ANDES THE ALPS

4. WHY?

6. Symmetrical fold ASYMMETRICAL FOLD OVERFOLD RECUMBENT FOLD OVERTHRUST STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3 STAGE 4 STAGE 5 SYMMETRICAL FOLD ASYMMETRICAL FOLD OVERFOLD RECUMBENT FOLD OVERTHRUST FOLD Both limbs are equal in steepness Compression from both opposite sides is equal One limb is steeper Compression is greater from one side than the other side One fold is pushed over the other limb due to increasing compression Limbs are nearly parallel to each other One limb is pushed forward Fracture occurs along the fault plane This limb overrides the other It may become detached from the main fold and is then called a nappe