Question

hello,,......i had already asked this but in dint quite understand it coz it was juzt a copy from the reader.....
how does the height of mountain on earth's surface depend upon the shear modulus......y is it not young's modulus?
please answer as soon as possible

Answer 1

The shear modulus is a measure of the ability of a material to resist transverse deformations, while the Young’s modulus is a measure of the ability of a material to withstand changes in length when under lengthwise tension or compression. The shear modulus is also known as the rigidity, while referred to as the modulus of elasticity.

The rigidity of the mountain make the height of mountain on Earth's surface depend upon the shear modulus.

Explanation:
The maximum height of mountain on earth depends upon shear modulus of rock. At the
base of the mountain, the stress due to all the rock on the top should be less than the
critical shear stress at which the rock begins to flow. Suppose the height of the mountain
is h and the density of its rock is ρ . Then force per unit area (due to the weight of the
mountain) at the base = hρ g