5 minute lesson
Did you know Mt. Everest, the tallest mountain on Earth, is getting taller every day?
Mountains are constantly changing, and Mt. Everest is no exception. This video can help to explain how and why mountains get bigger or smaller and also answers the question of how Mt. Everest got so tall. Let’s take a look at the forces at work carving mountains and valleys, right under our own feet, where ever we stand.
The same forces that shape mountains are also responsible for many other phenomena on Earth. The movement of the tectonic plates can also cause earthquakes, volcanic activity, and can create new islands. It is also important to understand how erosion from the surrounding climate can shape our world.
Understanding how the Earth moves underneath us can help us to piece together how different parts of the world are formed.
TED-Ed’s commitment to creating lessons worth sharing is an extension of TED’s mission of spreading great ideas. Within TED-Ed’s growing library of TED-Ed animations, you will find carefully curated educational videos, many of which represent collaborations between talented educators and animators nominated through the TED-Ed website (ed.ted.com).
Thanks to EWCed writer Kati Murphy from Clarkson University for this touchstone and for her contribution to EWCed!
“Why Is Mount Everest so Tall? – Michele Koppes.” YouTube. TED-Ed, 07 Apr. 2016. Web. 17 Apr. 2017. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy9GFAOGGXU>