Most geologists think the elevation of mountains above sea level is limited by earth's gravity because ________.
A)rocks can never reach escape velocity
B)rock cliffs are subject to gravity failure and can only be about 1km high
C)the earth's mantle is too weak to support the load of large mountains
D)thickening of the crust in mountain belts produces a weak deep crust the spreads by gravity collapse,limiting the elevation

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Thickening of the crust in mountain belts produces a weaker deep crust that spreads by gravity collapse, limiting the elevation. This means that the weight of the mountain range will cause the crust to spread outward, lowering the peaks and limiting their ultimate height. The other choices are not supported by scientific evidence or are oversimplified.

Most Geologists Think the Elevation of Mountains Above Sea Level