Explain the role played by endogenic forces in forming various landforms on the earth.
Endogenic forces are those forces that are generated inside the earth surface, e.g. volcanic forces.
Types of endogenic forces:
- Compressional force –
- Orogenetic forces – Which causes formation of mountain, therefore also called mountain building force.
- Epeirogenetic forces – cause formation of continents, therefore also called as continent building force.
- Tensional force – acts to create tension caused by convective current acting in the mantle.
These forces play important role in landform generation:
- Formation of fold mountains, continents and block mountains.
- Formation of dome, exfoliation slabs.
- Endogenetic forces led to formation of volcanoes also. Landforms like crater lake, cone are formed.
- Due to gravitational force (endogenetic) landforms like mesa, butte is formed.
- They also cause landslide and soil movement and impact the landform formation.
Along with this, exogenetic forces like wind, water, glacier, etc impacts the formation of landforms. The combined action of both causes landform.
Topics: GS-I: Important Geophysical Phenomena