Page 25 - MY GREAT LOVE FOR JESUS LED ME TO TROUTH

as a result of the findings of modern geological research. Formerly, it was thought that the mountains
were mere protrusions rising above the surface of the Earth.
However, scientists realized that this was not actually the case, and that those parts known as the
mountain root extended down as far as 10-15 times their own height. With these features, mountains
play a similar role to a nail or peg firmly holding down a tent. For example, Mount Everest, the summit
of which stands approximately 9 km above the surface of the Earth, has a root deeper than 125 km.
Mountains emerge as a result of the movements and collisions of massive plates forming the Earth's
crust. When two plates collide, the stronger one slides under the other, the one on the top bends and
forms heights and mountains. The layer beneath proceeds under the ground and makes a deep
extension downward. Consequently, mountains have a portion stretching downwards, as large as their
visible parts on the Earth. In a scientific text, the structure of mountains is described as
follows:[23] "Where continents are thicker, as in mountain ranges, the crust sinks deeper into the
mantle."[24] Dr. Frank Press, former president of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, states in his
book Earth that mountains are like stakes, and are buried deep under the Earth surface.[25]
In other verses, this role of the mountains is pointed out by a comparison with "pegs": "Have We
not made the earth as a bed and the mountains its pegs?" (Qur'an 78/6-7) Another verse
(Qur'an, 79/32) states that Allah "made the mountains firm". The Arabic word 'arsaahaa' in this
verse means "was made rooted, was fixed, was nailed to the earth". Similarly, mountains extend to
the surface layer joining lines on and below the surface and nail these together. By fixing the Earth's
crust they prevent any sliding over the magma layer or amongst the layers themselves. In short,
mountains can be compared to nails holding strips of wood together. The fixing effect of mountains
is known as isostasy in scientific literature. Isostasy is the state of equilibrium between the upward
force created by the mantle layer and the downward force created by the Earth's crust.
As mountains lose mass due to erosion, soil loss or melting of glaciers, they can gain mass from the
formation of glaciers, volcanic explosions or soil formation. Therefore, as mountains grow lighter, they
are pressed upwards by the raising force implemented by the liquids. Alternatively, as they grow
heavier they are pressed into the mantle by the force of gravity. Equilibrium between these two forces
is established by isostasy.
This balancing property of the mountains is described in these terms in a scientific source: G.B Airy in
1855 suggested that the crust of the earth could be likened to rafts of timber floating on water. Thick
pieces of timber float higher above the water surface than thin pieces and similarly thick sections of
the earth's crust will float on a liquid or plastic substratum of greater density. Airy was suggesting that
mountains have a deep root of lower density rock which the plains lack. Four years after Airy published
his work, J.H Pratt offered an alternative hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, rock columns below