The following statement provides the best possible explanation as to why many high mountain ranges are found at some distance from plate boundaries, such as the Rocky Mountains of the western United States and Canada that are found some distance away from the San Andreas fault.

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The question asks why many high mountain ranges appear at some distance from plate boundaries, with the Rocky Mountains cited as an example located away from the San Andreas fault.
First, consider the claim: 'Uplift is related to stress transmitted from distant collision zones.' This suggests that far-field tectonic stresses from distant plate interactions can cause crustal deformation and uplift inland, which is a plausible contributor to intraplate mountain building through processes such as lithospheric flexure, whole-crustal shortening, or dynamic pressure from basin and range-style extension transmitted through the plate as a whole.
In the absence of explicit answer choices, we can evaluate the core idea: long-range stress transfer can influence regions away from active plate boundaries. The Rocky Mountains, for example, are commonly attributed to the Laramide orogeny during the Late Cretaceous to early Paleogene, a period of shallow subduction and far-field compression that uplifted inland regions. This supports the notion that uplift and mountain-building can be driven by tectonic forces not immediately adjacent to plate margins, aligning with the statement that distant collision-zone stresses contribute to intraplate uplift.
Now, examine why this explanation might be incomplete or require nuance. While far-field stress can play a role, it is not the sole driver of all inland mountains. Local factors such as crustal thickness changes, mantle dynamics, magmatic activity, and regional flexural responses can also contribute to uplift, subsidence, and the formation of mountain belts far from plate boundaries. Therefore, attributing inland mountains purely to distant collision-zone stress would be an oversimplification; the full explanation typically involves a combination of far-field tectonics, crustal structure, and mantle processes.
If we were given alternative statements, we would test them against established geodynamic mechanisms: direct plate boundary forces, mantle convection, gravitational collapse, isostasy, and phase changes in the crust/mantle. A correct option would likely acknowledge that inland mountain uplift is a result of a complex interplay, not solely local boundary activity, and would specifically reference how stresses transmitted through the lithosphere from distant collisions can contribute to inland uplift over geological timescales.
In summary, the provided statement captures a valid aspect of intraplate mountain-building theory by highlighting long-range stress transmission as a driver of uplift away from plate boundaries, while also leaving room for additional regional processes that jointly shape inland mountain ranges. If competing options existed, those would need to be weighed against this multi-factor viewpoint, ensuring that the role of far-field stresses is presented as contributory rather than exclusively explanatory.

Geography CC 1 Sec ON1 (31167) Quiz #9: Units 30-32

The following statement provides the best possible explanation as to why many high mountain ranges are found at some distance from plate boundaries, such as the Rocky Mountains of the western United States and Canada that are found some distance away from the San Andreas fault.

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Geography CC 1 Sec ON1 (31167) Quiz #9: Units 30-32

The following statement provides the best possible explanation as to why many high mountain ranges are found at some distance from plate boundaries, such as the Rocky Mountains of the western United States and Canada that are found some distance away from the San Andreas fault.

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

How would you describe the motion of the North American plate relative along the San Andreas fault, relative to the Pacific plate?

Subduction zones ____.​

What event split Baja from mainland Mexico to form the Gulf of California? Select the one best answer.

Place the following events in the geologic history of California in chronological order, with 1 being oldest and 5 youngest. 1: intrusion of 90% of the Sierran Batholith 2: formation of a passive margin 3: development of an Andean-type margin 4: terrane accretion 5: erosion to expose the batholith

Match the geologic province of California with its corresponding tectonic setting. 1: Sierran Batholith 2: Central Valley 3: Franciscan 4: Accreted terranes

Question at position 24 Which of the following DOES NOT provide evidence that continents move by plate tectonicsVolcanic hot spot tracksGPS measurements of plate motionSymmetric magnetic stripes on each side of mid ocean ridgesUsing seismic waves to determine that the Earth's outer core is liquid

Question at position 37 Which one statement below is not correct?Temperature and pressure both increase with increasing depth.One source of Earth’s internal heat is the decay of radioactive elements.Convection in the outer core is responsible for plate tectonics.Clear my selection

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