Types of Mountains:

1. Folded Mountains. Pressure is applied slowly to the rock so that it bends instead of breaking. Makes folds in the rocks.

2. Faulted Mountains. Pressure breaks the land, causing land to move up r down. Resulting in higher areas (mountains).This is what we have in Nevada

3. Volcanic Mountains. Subduction at convergent boundaries melts rock

Examples of folds• Syncline:Rock folds point down.

Anticline: Folds point up

Monocline: One side goes up one side goes down

Formation of the American Southwest (including Nevada)

Basin and Range Geology

Hundreds of Millions of Years Ago The American Southwest was under water.Sediment piled creating layers of Sedimentary Rock. The Land was uplifted creating a flat plateau.

PlateauNice Flat land

15 million Years ago• The land begins to stretch. • Creates normal faults• Causing some fault block to sink.• High points = Ranges(mountains)• Low points = Basins (valleys)

RangeBasin

Pattern seen all over SouthwestNorth-South Running Basins and Ranges

This is how Las Vegas Valley FormedWest side of Valley (Red Rock)

North-South Running Range

North-Southrunning Basin

More Evidence around town

Fault Blocks weather and erode overtime, so not always sharp drops

Las Vegas Alluvial Fansweathered fault blocks

Arial View of an Alluvial Fan