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Fault-Block Mountains
The German Harz mountains and the Sierra Nevada mountains in California are fault-block mountains. Cracks in the earth's crust push some materials up and pull others down, such as rock. The crust is forced apart and rock piles on top of rock until a mountain is formed. These types of mountains are commonly steep on one side with a slope at the other.
Volcanic Mountains
Volcanic mountains in the world include Mount St. Helens and Mount Kea and Mount Loa in Hawaii. These mountains begin when magma erupts through the earth's crust onto the surface. As the lava -- the name for magma above the earth's crust -- cools down, it forms a layer of rock. In turn, layers of lava and rock can stack up to create a volcanic mountain.
Dome Mountains
Magma rises through the earth's crust when forming a dome mountain but instead of erupting like a volcano, the Magana turns into rock as it cools. The newly formed rock forces the rock above it upward to create a curved, dome-shaped landform. Erosion forms extra peaks, known as dome mountains.
Plateau Mountains
Plateau mountains begin as either layers of lava like the volcanic mountains or they are pushed up from the earth by movement in the earth's crust. Erosion also has a big part to play in the formation of plateau mountains. These types of mountains are common in New Zealand. Plateau mountains have a larger surface area and are much flatter than most mountains, but still stand almost 2,000 feet above sea level. These mountains are often separated by valleys.
Fold Mountains
Fold mountains are created from a head-on collision of two plates. The edges of the plates are crushed in the impact, causing many folds to appear. Upward folds are called anticlines, while downward folds are known as synclines. This type of mountain is the most common worldwide. Fold mountains also make up the largest mountain ranges, including the Himalayas, the Alps and the Rockies.