Students are learning about plate tectonics and how current topographic features were formed. The students learn
that the Appalachian Mountains in eastern North America formed approximately 480 million years ago and, at one
point during their formation, reached elevations comparable to some peaks in the present-day Rocky Mountains.
Today, the tallest mountain in the Appalachian Mountains is about 2,000 meters in elevation, while the tallest peaks
in the Rocky Mountains reach up to about 4,400 meters in elevation.
Explain how the Appalachian Mountains were formed and how they have become so much smaller over time. Enter
your answer in the box provided.