What is the difference between mountains and ranges? For instance, we have The Rocky Mountains, but The Alaska Range. Is it a function of size? Length? Or is it all just arbitrary? I’ve tried finding an answer on the web, but no luck. Any geologists out there?
All definitions from the American Geological Institute’s Dictionary of Geological Terms, 3rd edition, edited by Bates and Jackson:
Mountain Range
Mountain System
Cordillera
In short, Cordillera > Mountain Chain/System > Mountain Range.
I guess my question should have been more along the lines of: how are the names arrived at? Why call one group of pointy hills the xxxx mountains and another of similar size and shape the yyyy range? Is there some sort of convention for this, or is it completely at the whim of the namer?
The Rockies are the Rocky Mountain System:
The Rockies are the Rocky Mountain System:
The terms “mountains” (meaning a group) and “range” are almost but not quite synonymous in popular speech. (See Pantellerite’s post for technical usage.)
A range is a linear grouping of mountains, such as the Coast Range (CA), the Presidential Range (NH), or the Front Range (CO). Most mountains come in linear sequences of this sort, but not all. Examples: the Olympic Mountains (WA), the Adirondack Mountains (NY), the Ozark Mountains (MO/AR).
No.
To elaborate on my short answer in light of what Polycarp said whilst I was typing–a single range is a contiguous group of mountains(*) that is separated from other ranges by some non-mountain feature like a valley or plateau. That’s about as close to a convention as you’re going to get. A collection of mountain ranges comprises a mountain system.
(*The most general, geographer’s definition of a “mountain” is any distinct peak with 2000 feet or more of local relief. Unsurprisingly, there was a thread on this in the recent past.)