A mountain is a prominent geological landform representing a large natural elevation that rises significantly above the surrounding terrain. Their formation is primarily attributed to tectonic forces, including the collision of continental plates or the subduction of one plate beneath another, a process known as orogeny. This massive crustal compression results in immense uplift and folding of the Earth’s lithosphere, creating fold mountains or fault-block mountains. Over geologic time, these uplifted structures are subjected to ongoing forces of weathering and erosion, driven by agents such as water, ice, and gravity. The rate of uplift versus the rate of erosion determines a mountain range's continued verticality and characteristic shape, resulting in diverse topography, altitudinal gradients, and associated patterns of geological strata.