The interaction of matter and temperature generates the forces or movements inside the earth’s crust, which are known as the endogenic forces. These internal forces continuously elevate or build up parts of the earth’s surface. In general terms, the endogenic forces are mainly land building forces. Endogenic forces can be classified as those causing slow movements (diastrophic) and those causing sudden movements:

• Diastrophic forces refer to forces generated by the movement of the solid material of the earth’s crust. All the processes that move, elevate or build portions of the earth’s crust come under diastrophism. Diastrophism includes:
• Orogenic processes involving mountain building through severe folding and affecting long and narrow belts of the earth’s crust.
• Epeirogenic processes involve uplift or warping of large parts of the earth’s crust.
• Earthquakes involving local relatively minor movements.
• Plate tectonics involving horizontal movements of crustal plates.
• Sudden movements can result in volcanism, earthquakes and landslides.

Endogenic forces are also known as ‘constructive forces’ as they create relief features on the surface of the Earth. Following are some of the landforms created by endogenic forces:

• Structural plains: These plains are formed by the uplift of a part of the sea floor or continental shelf. These are located on the borders of almost all the major continents. Example: Great Plains of the USA.
• Continental plateau: Plateaus formed by the upliftment or extensive spreading of lava on the Earth’s surface. They are bordered on all sides by plains or oceans, forming away from the mountains. An example of a continental plateau is the Antarctic Plateau or Polar Plateau in East Antarctica.
• Fold Mountains: When the sedimentary rocks are subjected to compressional forces for millions of years, they get bent into up and down folds, which lead to the formation of anticlines and synclines. Such Earth movements occur from time to time and lift the folds to a considerable height which result into the formation of Fold Mountains, such as the Himalayas in Asia, the Alps in Europe, the Rockies in North America, and the Andes in South America.
• Block Mountains: When the forces of tension act on the rocks, they create faults in them. When the land between the two almost parallel faults is raised above the adjoining areas, it creates block mountains. Example: The Vosges in France; Black Forest Mountain in Germany.
• Rift Valley or Graben: When a block between two normal faults is depressed, the valley formed in the faults is known as Rift Valley or Graben. Example: East African Rift, the Baikal Rift Valley, the West Antarctic Rift, and the Rio Grande Rift, Narmada rift valley.
• Volcanic Mountains: Volcanic Mountains are formed when molten rock (magma) deep within the earth, erupts, and piles upon the surface. Magna is called lava when it breaks through the earth’s crust. When the ash and lava cools, it builds a cone of rock. Rock and lava pile up, layer on top of layer. Examples: Mount St. Helens in North America, Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, Mount Kea and Mount Loa in Hawaii.
• Intermontane Plateau: The intermontane plateaus form either bordering the fold mountain range or are partly or fully enclosed by Fold Mountains. Vertical movements raise these extensive landforms of nearly horizontal rocks to thousands of meters above sea level. Example, the Plateau of Tibet, surrounded by The Himalayas, Karakoram, Kunlun, Tien Shan.

The landforms created by the endogenic forces often further undergo change leading to new modifications due to changes in climatic conditions and vertical or horizontal movements of landmasses.