Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) Secondary Integrated Science Practice test

What is the process of natural mountain building called?

1. Orogeny

2. Volcanism

3. Plate Tectonics

4. Geosyncline

The correct answer is: Orogeny

Orogeny refers specifically to the natural process of mountain building. This process typically occurs as a result of tectonic forces that lead to the folding, faulting, and uplifting of the Earth's crust. Orogenic processes can be triggered by continental collisions, where tectonic plates push against each other, leading to significant geological changes and the formation of mountain ranges over geological time scales. While volcanism involves processes related to the eruption of magma and the formation of volcanic mountains, it does not encompass the broader mechanisms of mountain building associated with tectonic activity. Plate tectonics is indeed a fundamental concept that explains the movements of the Earth's plates and can lead to mountain building, but it is a much broader framework and doesn’t specifically denote the process itself as closely as orogeny does. Geosyncline relates to large-scale depositional features and periods of sediment accumulation that can precede or accompany mountain building but does not specifically define the process of how mountains are formed.