A mountain is a natural elevation that is characterized by its high height.
The first thing we are going to do in order to discover the meaning of the term mountain is to know its etymological origin. In this case, we can emphasize that it derives from Latin, specifically from "montanea", which can be translated as "mountainous". A word that, in turn, emanates from the noun "mons, montis", which is synonymous with "mountain".
A mountain is a natural elevation of great height . It is a prominence that breaks into the earth's surface and reaches a minimum height of 700 meters ; When it measures less, it is called a hill or hill .
Origin of the mountains
The geological process that allows the creation of mountains is known as orogenesis . In this framework, the Earth 's crust folds from a lateral thrust.
It is estimated that 24% of the lithosphere corresponds to mountains, which can be grouped into mountain ranges or mountain ranges . Many rivers have their source in these types of elevations, where a considerable percentage of the international population also lives.
The highest elevations
The Himalayan mountain range, located on the Asian continent, is home to the highest mountains in the world . The largest mountain on the planet is Everest , with a height of 8,848 meters. It is followed by K2 (8,611 meters) and Kanchenjunga (8,598 meters).
Other of the highest mountains in the world are the following:
-Lhotse, which measures about 8,516 meters high and is located very close to Everest,
-Makalu, which reaches 8,463 meters, which stands out for its pyramid shape and is located in the Himalayas. It is one of the most inaccessible mountains on the planet.
Climbing mountains is a risky sport.
Mountains, sport and tourism
The sporting activity consisting of climbing mountains is called mountaineering . The person who does this sport, meanwhile, is mentioned as a mountaineer .
In the same way, we cannot ignore that there is what is known as mountain hotels. These, as their name indicates, are accommodation establishments that have the particularity of being located in mountain areas.
Many people do not hesitate to reserve a room in these hotels. They do it because they allow them to get away from routine, be in full contact with nature, breathe fresh air, practice outdoor sports such as hiking or climbing, release stress, live new experiences...
Excessive accumulation and mechanical attraction
A mountain, on the other hand, is called an excessive or large accumulation of something . For example : "I have a mountain of problems at work that I don't know how I'm going to solve," "Yesterday I cleaned my house and threw a mountain of useless papers into the trash," "We won't go hungry: my aunt prepared a mountain." of food for dinner .
In relation to this meaning we have to explain that there is an expression that is used very frequently in Spain: "Make a mountain out of a molehill." What is intended with this is to convey that someone is giving a lot of importance to a problem that has little significance.
A roller coaster , finally, is a mechanical attraction based on a railway track with numerous turns and ups and downs, on which carts slide at high speed .