The Quran and Mountains: Difference between revisions

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===The word, ‘stabilize’ does not mean ‘prevent earthquakes’===
===The word, ‘stabilize’ does not mean ‘prevent earthquakes’===


The stabilization is over a geological timescale because of the term ‘tameeda’ as opposed to ‘zalzala’.  
Apologists claim that the stabilization is over a geological timescale because of the term ‘tameeda’ as opposed to ‘zalzala’.  


====Analysis====
====Analysis====


For the same reason as the previous section, the term ‘stabilize’ must mean ‘prevent earthquakes’ as tameeda cannot be associated with geological timescales.
For the same reason as the previous section, the term ‘stabilize’ must mean ‘prevent earthquakes’ as tameeda cannot be associated with geological timescales.
Apologists who make this claim also fail to notice that mountains, whether individually or as a mountain range, do not last very long in geological timescales. Wind, water and ice erode them away, or even tectonic movements can destroy them. Now it is worth pondering what kind of stability the relatively short-lived mountains can provide to the 4.5 billion years old earth, if there is anything miraculous that the Qur'an says about mountains.
===Mountains Stabilize the Earth's Rotation About its Axis===
The mass of the Earth is 5.97*10<sup>24</sup> kilograms. The mass of mountains is of a much lower order. Hence they have an infinitesimally small effect on the earth's moment of inertia. In fact, the earth's rotational speed and axial tilt are affected more by the distance of the moon from earth and the [[w:Post-glacial rebound|post-glacial rebound]] since the ice ages.
===Mountains Absorb Some Waves During Earthquakes===
{{Quote|{{cite web|url=http://bssa.geoscienceworld.org/content/97/6/2066.abstract |title=Effects of Large-Scale Surface Topography on Ground Motions, as Demonstrated by a Study of the San Gabriel Mountains, Los Angeles, California |publisher= |author= |date= |archiveurl= |deadurl=no}}|We investigate the effects of large-scale surface topography on ground motions generated by nearby faulting. We show a specific example studying the effect of the San Gabriel Mountains, which are bounded by the Mojave segment of the San Andreas fault on the north and by the Los Angeles Basin on the south. By simulating a Mw 7.5 earthquake on the Mojave segment of the San Andreas fault, we show that the San Gabriel Mountains act as a natural seismic insulator for metropolitan Los Angeles. The topography of the mountains scatters the surface waves generated by the rupture on the San Andreas fault, leading to less-efficient excitation of basin-edge generated waves and natural resonances within the Los Angeles Basin. The effect of the mountains reduces the peak amplitude of ground velocity for some regions in the basin by as much as 50% in the frequency band up to 0.5 Hz. These results suggest that, depending on the relative location of faulting and the nearby large-scale topography, the topography can shield some areas from ground shaking.}}
Studies like this one are sometimes quoted by apologists to prove their point. It is clear however, that earthquakes are not prevented. Only the waves are somewhat affected by the presence of mountains as the above simulation suggests. If there were an earthquake larger than Mw 7.5 or if a human settlement were situated between its epicenter and a mountain range, there would be widespread destruction anyway.


==Conclusion==
==Conclusion==
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==See Also==
==See Also==
*[[Qur'an Predicted Land Decreasing]]
*[[Quran Predicted Land Decreasing|Qur'an Predicted Land Decreasing]]
{{Hub4|I. A. Ibrahim|I. A. Ibrahim}}
{{Hub4|I. A. Ibrahim|I. A. Ibrahim}}


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[[Category:Hector]]
[[Category:Hector]]
{{page_title|The Qur'an and Mountains}}
{{page_title|The Qur'an and Mountains}}
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