Do Mountains Have Roots?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Do mountains have roots?

The Big Idea

Yes, in a way, mountains have roots! Earth's crust floats on the softer rock below it, like an iceberg in water. Tall mountains have deep roots of crust pushing down underneath them.

Floating Crust

Step one: floating crust. Earth's hard outer crust floats on softer, slowly flowing rock below it. A heavier load makes it sink a little deeper, just like a loaded boat.

Deep Roots

Step two: deep roots. Tall mountains have deep roots of crust pushing down below them. Under the Himalayas, the crust is about twice as thick as normal.

Roots Rise

Step three: roots rise. As erosion wears down the top, the root slowly rises. It is like a boat that bobs up when you take cargo off, which takes millions of years.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! An iceberg hides most of itself underwater. A mountain shows only part of itself above ground. The rest is a thick root of crust below. And like a floating boat, it rises when the load gets lighter.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Mountains are like icebergs: more is hidden than you can see. The crust under the Himalayas is about twice as thick as normal. The crust under flat plains is thinner, because there is less weight on top. Scientists learn about roots by studying how earthquake waves travel.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Float a block of wood in a bowl of water. Stack a smaller block on top. How much deeper does the whole thing sink? That is a model of a mountain root! Share what you discover with a grown-up.

Outro

Mountains have hidden roots, just like icebergs. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!