One of the consequences of isostatic adjustment is that, as erosion lowers the summits of mountains, the crust rises in response to the reduced load (figure 10.27) The processes of uplift and erosion continue until the mountain block reaches “normal” crustal thickness. When this occurs, these once-elevated structures will be near sea level, and the once-deeply buried interior of the mountain will be exposed at the surface. In addition, as mountains are worn down, the eroded sediment is deposited on adjacent landscapes, causing these areas to subside(Figure 10.27)