Why must the process of mountain building be inferred through the principle of Uniformitarianism?
A) Uniformitarianism is a law so it must be so.
B) Mountain building occurs over millions of years so geologists must assume what takes place during the process.
C) Mountain building occurs very quickly.
D) Uniformitarianism describes mountain building word for word.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mountain building occurs over millions of years and therefore cannot be directly observed. The principle of Uniformitarianism allows geologists to infer what happens during the process by observing current geological processes and assuming they have been occurring at the same rate and in the same way in the past. This allows them to make educated guesses about the processes that might have created ancient mountain ranges.

Why Must the Process of Mountain Building Be Inferred Through