Exam 4: Weathering, Soil, and Mass Wasting

The steepest, stable, slope angle possible in unconsolidated, granular materials like sand and gravel is called the angle of retention.

________ is the fan-shaped pile of broken rock fragments at the base of a steep, bedrock slope or cliff.

Like most other liquids, water decreases in volume when it freezes.

Lahars are essentially mudflows associated with volcanoes and volcanism.

Consider a weathered rock or soil particle lying on a slope. How will the gravitational force pulling the particle downward along the land surface vary with the inclination of the slope?

Assume that water filling a crack in a rock undergoes cycles of freezing and melting. Which of the following statement is true?

Which mass wasting process has the slowest rate of movement?

Which term best describes those processes that move weathered rock materials and soils downslope?

Which term describes a soil formed by weathering of the underlying bedrock?

Chemical weathering in bedrock below the land surface often begins along joints and sheeting fractures.

What is the feature labeled "A" in the diagram below? Also, how did it form?

Word Analysis. Examine the words and/or phrases for each question below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option which does not fit the pattern.

Ferromagnesian minerals (like olivine and pyroxene) that crystallize at high temperatures in Bowen's reaction series are generally much less susceptible to chemical weathering than quartz.

Although it was not discussed in Chapter 4, what are some preventive measures that can be done to reduce or lessen the impact of mass wasting? (Hint: Think about the controls and triggers of mass wasting.)

Which of the following best describes sets of fractures in relatively fresh bedrock, such as granite, that are roughly parallel to the land surface?

A geologist wants to locate a horizontal coal bed on a soil-covered slope where soil creep is active. A distinctive sandstone bed underlies the coal bed. On the basis of weathered sandstone fragments in the soil, where is the coal bed?

Which of the following mass movements is most likely to occur in a geologic setting where the rock strata are inclined?

All of the following are factors that affect rates of weathering except for ________.

A triggering mechanism, such as heavy rains or an earthquake, are necessary for mass wasting to occur.

Carefully examine the illustration below and the features labeled A through D. Give a letter (A, B, C, or D) for each answer below. (a) At which location would the thickest residual soil develop? __________ (b) At which location would the greatest amount of frost wedging occur? __________ (c) At which location would the thickest transported soil develop? __________ (d) At which location would there be the most unconsolidated deposits? __________