The Alps, Europe’s Jagged Peaks
In The Alps, Europe’s Jagged Peaks, narrator Sir David Attenborough marvels at the ancient seabed turned mountain chain. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
Lesson Express
Q: What formed the jagged peaks of the Alps?
A: The collision of Africa into Europe formed mountains; the work of frost, snow, and ice eroded the mountains into jagged peaks.
Q: How has the landscape of the Alps changed over time?
A: It was once an ancient seabed. It is now Western Europe’s highest mountain chain.
Q: How do the foothills of the Alps differ from the interior mountains?
A: The interior mountains are much higher and permanently covered in snow (except for those that are too steep to hold snow).
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