Question 1

What concepts can be explained using this diagram?

Accepted Answer

A)  the movement of water between the oceans and the land 
B)  how precipitation ends up in rivers or groundwater 
C)  how weathering causes the seas to become saltier 
D)  all of these 
A)  the movement of water between the oceans and the land 
B)  how precipitation ends up in rivers or groundwater 
C)  how weathering causes the seas to become saltier 
D)  all of these

Question 2

What type of slope failure is shown in this figure?

Accepted Answer

A)  rotational slide 
B)  creep 
C)  debris slide 
D)  debris flow 
E)  rock fall 
A)  rotational slide 
B)  creep 
C)  debris slide 
D)  debris flow 
E)  rock fall

Question 3

What is the main process by which soils form?

Accepted Answer

A)  deposition of silt on a floodplain 
B)  deposition of silt by the wind 
C)  weathering 
D)  erosion 
A)  deposition of silt on a floodplain 
B)  deposition of silt by the wind 
C)  weathering 
D)  erosion

Question 4

Which of the following might indicate that slopes adjacent to this landslide might fail?

Accepted Answer

A)  they have the same steepness as the slope that failed 
B)  they appear to have a similar geology setting 
C)  one part of the slope has already failed 
D)  all of these 
A)  they have the same steepness as the slope that failed 
B)  they appear to have a similar geology setting 
C)  one part of the slope has already failed 
D)  all of these

Question 5

Which of the following generally is true about caves formed by dissolution?

Accepted Answer

A)  acidic waters dissolve feldspar in granite, producing clay 
B)  groundwater removed material from limestone 
C)  hot geothermal waters introduce acids into shallow rocks 
D)  carbon dioxide rises from depth and dissolves calcite and clay 
A)  acidic waters dissolve feldspar in granite, producing clay 
B)  groundwater removed material from limestone 
C)  hot geothermal waters introduce acids into shallow rocks 
D)  carbon dioxide rises from depth and dissolves calcite and clay

Question 6

Which of the following is the main hazard for areas along the river terrace?

Accepted Answer

A)  shrinking and swelling of clays 
B)  slow movement of material downslope 
C)  rock falls 
D)  debris flows that carry large blocks from the volcano 
A)  shrinking and swelling of clays 
B)  slow movement of material downslope 
C)  rock falls 
D)  debris flows that carry large blocks from the volcano

Question 7

Which of the following are problems related to soil?

Accepted Answer

A)  individual grains lose contact with one another as water squeezes between them 
B)  certain clay minerals increase in volume when they become wet 
C)  soils that do not compact uniformly because of varying amounts of clay 
D)  erosion due to loss of plant cover, such as from overgrazing 
E)  all of these 
A)  individual grains lose contact with one another as water squeezes between them 
B)  certain clay minerals increase in volume when they become wet 
C)  soils that do not compact uniformly because of varying amounts of clay 
D)  erosion due to loss of plant cover, such as from overgrazing 
E)  all of these

Question 8

Which of the following is an expression of the angle of repose?

Accepted Answer

A)  talus slope 
B)  some slopes of sand dunes 
C)  angle of slopes on scoria cones 
D)  all of these 
A)  talus slope 
B)  some slopes of sand dunes 
C)  angle of slopes on scoria cones 
D)  all of these

Question 9

The type of slope failure shown in this photograph is:

Accepted Answer

A)  creep 
B)  a rock slide 
C)  a debris avalanche 
D)  a debris flow 
E)  all of these 
A)  creep 
B)  a rock slide 
C)  a debris avalanche 
D)  a debris flow 
E)  all of these

Question 10

Aside from limestone, which other kinds of rock types produce karst terrain?

Accepted Answer

A)  evaporite rocks such as salt and gypsum 
B)  granite 
C)  sandstone 
D)  shale 
A)  evaporite rocks such as salt and gypsum 
B)  granite 
C)  sandstone 
D)  shale

Question 11

Which of the following has the lowest potential for landslides?

Accepted Answer

A)  Pacific Northwest 
B)  southern California 
C)  bluffs along rivers in the central U.S. 
D)  Florida 
E)  Appalachian Mountains 
A)  Pacific Northwest 
B)  southern California 
C)  bluffs along rivers in the central U.S. 
D)  Florida 
E)  Appalachian Mountains

Question 12

As illustrated in this figure, which of the following is NOT potential trigger for slope failure?

Accepted Answer

A)  precipitation that can saturate and weaken sediment 
B)  undercutting of steep slopes by roads and rivers 
C)  shaking during an earthquake 
D)  shaking of slopes and melting of snow during volcanic eruptions 
E)  all of these are illustrated 
A)  precipitation that can saturate and weaken sediment 
B)  undercutting of steep slopes by roads and rivers 
C)  shaking during an earthquake 
D)  shaking of slopes and melting of snow during volcanic eruptions 
E)  all of these are illustrated

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a common trigger for slope failure?

Accepted Answer

A)  adding water to a slope 
B)  volcanic eruption 
C)  shaking during an earthquake 
D)  oversteepening of cliffs or hillslopes during road construction 
E)  all of these are common triggers for slope failure 
A)  adding water to a slope 
B)  volcanic eruption 
C)  shaking during an earthquake 
D)  oversteepening of cliffs or hillslopes during road construction 
E)  all of these are common triggers for slope failure

Question 14

Which of the following factors caused some high peaks of the Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest to have high potential for slope failure?

Accepted Answer

A)  they are volcanoes with steep slopes 
B)  they experience heavy rainfall 
C)  they may contain loose volcanic ash and other volcanic materials 
D)  all of these 
A)  they are volcanoes with steep slopes 
B)  they experience heavy rainfall 
C)  they may contain loose volcanic ash and other volcanic materials 
D)  all of these

Question 15

Which of the following is true about how weathering affects fractured rocks?

Accepted Answer

A)  Weathering affects rocks from the outside in, forming an outer weathered zone or rind. 
B)  Weathering attacks corners from three sides and so these are preferentially removed. 
C)  Preferential weathering along fractures can cause blocks to become rounded. 
D)  D. All of these. 
A)  Weathering affects rocks from the outside in, forming an outer weathered zone or rind. 
B)  Weathering attacks corners from three sides and so these are preferentially removed. 
C)  Preferential weathering along fractures can cause blocks to become rounded. 
D)  D. All of these.

Question 16

People reshape steep slopes, a practice called terracing, in order to:

Accepted Answer

A)  help capture and retain rainfall 
B)  provide a level place on which to farm 
C)  promote soil formation 
D)  protect soil from erosion 
E)  all of these 
A)  help capture and retain rainfall 
B)  provide a level place on which to farm 
C)  promote soil formation 
D)  protect soil from erosion 
E)  all of these

Question 17

What happens when rocks oxidize near Earth's surface?

Accepted Answer

A)  minerals in the rock release oxygen that can break down adjacent rocks 
B)  oxygen combines with water to create weak acids that weather rocks 
C)  minerals, especially those with iron, combine with oxygen 
D)  oxygen combines with silica to make quartz 
A)  minerals in the rock release oxygen that can break down adjacent rocks 
B)  oxygen combines with water to create weak acids that weather rocks 
C)  minerals, especially those with iron, combine with oxygen 
D)  oxygen combines with silica to make quartz

Question 18

Which of the following factors does NOT control the stability of a slope?

Accepted Answer

A)  the angle of repose for intact bedrock 
B)  whether the slope is rock or soil 
C)  the amount of water in the soil 
D)  the orientation of fractures, cleavage, and bedding 
A)  the angle of repose for intact bedrock 
B)  whether the slope is rock or soil 
C)  the amount of water in the soil 
D)  the orientation of fractures, cleavage, and bedding

Question 19

What is the main force involved in the stability of slopes?

Accepted Answer

A)  water pressure 
B)  sunlight 
C)  wind 
D)  gravity 
E)  radioactivity decay 
A)  water pressure 
B)  sunlight 
C)  wind 
D)  gravity 
E)  radioactivity decay

Question 20

What type of slope failure is shown in this figure?

Accepted Answer

A)  rotational slide 
B)  creep 
C)  earth flow 
D)  debris flow 
E)  rock fall 
A)  rotational slide 
B)  creep 
C)  earth flow 
D)  debris flow 
E)  rock fall

What concepts can be explained using this diagram?

What type of slope failure is shown in this figure?

What is the main process by which soils form?

Which of the following might indicate that slopes adjacent to this landslide might fail?

Which of the following generally is true about caves formed by dissolution?

Which of the following is the main hazard for areas along the river terrace?

Which of the following are problems related to soil?

Which of the following is an expression of the angle of repose?

The type of slope failure shown in this photograph is:

Aside from limestone, which other kinds of rock types produce karst terrain?

Which of the following has the lowest potential for landslides?

As illustrated in this figure, which of the following is NOT potential trigger for slope failure?

Which of the following is NOT a common trigger for slope failure?

Which of the following factors caused some high peaks of the Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest to have high potential for slope failure?

Which of the following is true about how weathering affects fractured rocks?

People reshape steep slopes, a practice called terracing, in order to:

What happens when rocks oxidize near Earth's surface?

Which of the following factors does NOT control the stability of a slope?

What is the main force involved in the stability of slopes?

What type of slope failure is shown in this figure?

The Nature of Geology

Investigating Geologic Questions

Plate Tectonics

Earth Materials

Igneous Environments

Volcanoes and Volcanic Hazards

Sedimentary Environments

Deformation and Metamorphism

Geologic Time

Seafloor and Continental Margins

Mountains, Basins, and Continents

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

Climate and Weathering

Glaciers, Shorelines, and Changing Sea Levels

Streams and Flooding

Water Resources

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Geology of the Solar System

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Exam 15: Weathering, Soil, and Unstable Slopes

What concepts can be explained using this diagram?

What type of slope failure is shown in this figure?

What is the main process by which soils form?

Which of the following might indicate that slopes adjacent to this landslide might fail?

Which of the following generally is true about caves formed by dissolution?

Which of the following is the main hazard for areas along the river terrace?

Which of the following are problems related to soil?

Which of the following is an expression of the angle of repose?

The type of slope failure shown in this photograph is:

Aside from limestone, which other kinds of rock types produce karst terrain?

Which of the following has the lowest potential for landslides?

As illustrated in this figure, which of the following is NOT potential trigger for slope failure?

Which of the following is NOT a common trigger for slope failure?

Which of the following factors caused some high peaks of the Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest to have high potential for slope failure?

Which of the following is true about how weathering affects fractured rocks?

People reshape steep slopes, a practice called terracing, in order to:

What happens when rocks oxidize near Earth's surface?

Which of the following factors does NOT control the stability of a slope?

What is the main force involved in the stability of slopes?

What type of slope failure is shown in this figure?

The Nature of Geology

Investigating Geologic Questions

Plate Tectonics

Earth Materials

Igneous Environments

Volcanoes and Volcanic Hazards

Sedimentary Environments

Deformation and Metamorphism

Geologic Time

Seafloor and Continental Margins

Mountains, Basins, and Continents

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

Climate and Weathering

Glaciers, Shorelines, and Changing Sea Levels

Streams and Flooding

Water Resources

Energy and Mineral Resources

Geology of the Solar System

Filters