Matterhorn

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/matterhorn

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How tall is Matterhorn?4,478 meters (14,692 feet)
2. What is the geological composition?Dent Blanche nappe gneisses overlying Penninic nappe ophiolites and sedimentary rocks
3. What is the first ascent date?July 14, 1865
4. What does the Matterhorn look like?The Matterhorn looks like a tall, pointy pyramid with four steep faces and sharp ridges.
5. Why is the Matterhorn so famous?It is famous because its sharp shape makes it a popular picture and a symbol of the Alps, and many people travel to see it.

Alpine Orogeny: The process of mountain formation in the Alps, resulting from the collision of tectonic plates.
Cirque Erosion: The process by which glaciers carve out bowl-shaped hollows in mountainsides.
Tectonic Plates: Enormous, rigid slabs of rock that make up the Earth's lithosphere and move over time.
Alpinism: The sport of mountaineering, particularly in the Alps, often involving technical climbing and high-altitude challenges.