Question 1

Which of the following does NOT physically loosen rocks on the surface?

Accepted Answer

A) water contracting as it freezes 
B) crystals of salt and other minerals that exert an outward force on fractures 
C) roots that pry apart fractures as the root grows in size 
D) joints that form when rock pressures are released 
E) rodents and other burrowing organisms 
A) water contracting as it freezes 
B) crystals of salt and other minerals that exert an outward force on fractures 
C) roots that pry apart fractures as the root grows in size 
D) joints that form when rock pressures are released 
E) rodents and other burrowing organisms A

Question 2

What type of slope failure is shown in this figure?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 3

Which of the numbered soil horizons is most likely to have clay or calcium carbonate?

Accepted Answer

A) 1 
B) 2 
C) 3 
D) 4 
E) 5 
A) 1 
B) 2 
C) 3 
D) 4 
E) 5 D

Question 4

Which of the following slope failures is most likely to cause large numbers of casualties?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 5

How does material in soil move?

Accepted Answer

A) the upper part of soil loses material downward 
B) clay minerals and other fine particles are carried downward 
C) chemical ions leached from above can accumulate in the underlying zone 
D) calcium carbonate can accumulate in the soil,especially in dry environments 
E) all of these 
A) the upper part of soil loses material downward 
B) clay minerals and other fine particles are carried downward 
C) chemical ions leached from above can accumulate in the underlying zone 
D) calcium carbonate can accumulate in the soil,especially in dry environments 
E) all of these

Question 6

The layer of quartzite in this photograph would mostly weather by:

Accepted Answer

A) dissolution 
B) hydrolysis 
C) physical weathering 
D) spontaneous combustion 
A) dissolution 
B) hydrolysis 
C) physical weathering 
D) spontaneous combustion

Question 7

The landslide that destroyed La Conchita,as shown in this photograph,is probably:

Accepted Answer

A) an example of creep 
B) an earth flow 
C) a rock fall 
D) a rock avalanche 
A) an example of creep 
B) an earth flow 
C) a rock fall 
D) a rock avalanche

Question 8

The joints in the photograph mimic topography,indicating that they formed:

Accepted Answer

A) while the granite was still molten 
B) while the rocks were still buried at great depth 
C) when the weight of overlying rocks was unloaded,allowing expansion along the joints 
D) along a subduction zone 
A) while the granite was still molten 
B) while the rocks were still buried at great depth 
C) when the weight of overlying rocks was unloaded,allowing expansion along the joints 
D) along a subduction zone

Question 9

What factors lead to the Viaont landslide disaster?

Accepted Answer

A) a volcanic eruption shook the ground 
B) a major earthquake shook the ground 
C) the sedimentary layers dipped downslope toward the reservoir 
D) all of these 
A) a volcanic eruption shook the ground 
B) a major earthquake shook the ground 
C) the sedimentary layers dipped downslope toward the reservoir 
D) all of these

Question 10

Why does weathering of granite bedrock produce rounded shapes?

Accepted Answer

A) the rounded shapes are pillows formed at depth in the granitic magma 
B) weathering removes corners and edges,as in spheroidal weathering 
C) burrowing animals eat away parts of the granite 
D) roots rub against the edges of the granite 
A) the rounded shapes are pillows formed at depth in the granitic magma 
B) weathering removes corners and edges,as in spheroidal weathering 
C) burrowing animals eat away parts of the granite 
D) roots rub against the edges of the granite

Question 11

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 12

Which of the following is probably NOT important in assessing an area's potential for slope failure?

Accepted Answer

A) comparing the geologic setting to adjacent areas that have or have not failed 
B) whether the material is loose sediment or solid bedrock 
C) recent changes in slope 
D) the orientation of layering and fractures 
E) all of these are important 
A) comparing the geologic setting to adjacent areas that have or have not failed 
B) whether the material is loose sediment or solid bedrock 
C) recent changes in slope 
D) the orientation of layering and fractures 
E) all of these are important

Question 13

Which of the following is valid for how rocks weather?

Accepted Answer

A) quartz is very soluble during weathering at low temperatures 
B) limestone weathers rapidly in wet climates but can form cliffs in dry ones 
C) as a granite weathers,quartz rapidly decomposes into clay minerals 
D) most minerals in granite weather at nearly the same rate and so granite has smooth surfaces 
A) quartz is very soluble during weathering at low temperatures 
B) limestone weathers rapidly in wet climates but can form cliffs in dry ones 
C) as a granite weathers,quartz rapidly decomposes into clay minerals 
D) most minerals in granite weather at nearly the same rate and so granite has smooth surfaces

Question 14

Which of the following is a way that slopes fail?

Accepted Answer

A) large blocks fall from cliffs 
B) rocks,soil,sediment,and ice slides down steep hillsides 
C) pieces of loose rock accumulate on talus slopes until the angle becomes too steep 
D) soil and other loose material can flow rapidly down slopes,forming debris flows 
E) all of these 
A) large blocks fall from cliffs 
B) rocks,soil,sediment,and ice slides down steep hillsides 
C) pieces of loose rock accumulate on talus slopes until the angle becomes too steep 
D) soil and other loose material can flow rapidly down slopes,forming debris flows 
E) all of these

Question 15

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 16

Joints in the landscape:

Accepted Answer

A) mostly form at depth and are uplifted to the surface 
B) can detach thin slices of rock parallel to the land surface 
C) cause highly jointed areas to be less resistant to weathering than more jointed ones 
D) all of these 
A) mostly form at depth and are uplifted to the surface 
B) can detach thin slices of rock parallel to the land surface 
C) cause highly jointed areas to be less resistant to weathering than more jointed ones 
D) all of these

Question 17

Which of the following slope failures is least likely to cause casualties?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 18

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 19

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 20

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

Which of the following does NOT physically loosen rocks on the surface?

What type of slope failure is shown in this figure?

Which of the numbered soil horizons is most likely to have clay or calcium carbonate?

Which of the following slope failures is most likely to cause large numbers of casualties?

How does material in soil move?

The layer of quartzite in this photograph would mostly weather by:

The landslide that destroyed La Conchita,as shown in this photograph,is probably:

The joints in the photograph mimic topography,indicating that they formed:

What factors lead to the Viaont landslide disaster?

Why does weathering of granite bedrock produce rounded shapes?

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

Which of the following is probably NOT important in assessing an area's potential for slope failure?

Which of the following is valid for how rocks weather?

Which of the following is a way that slopes fail?

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

Joints in the landscape:

Which of the following slope failures is least likely to cause casualties?

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

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

The type of slope failure shown in this photograph is:

The Nature of Geology

Investigating Geologic Questions

Plate Tectonics

Earth Materials

Igneous Environments

Volcanoes and Volcanic Hazards

Sedimentary Environments and Rocks

Deformation and Metamorphism

Geologic Time

The Seafloor and Continental Margins

Mountains, basins, and Continents

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Exam 15: Weathering, soil, and Unstable Slopes

Which of the following does NOT physically loosen rocks on the surface?

What type of slope failure is shown in this figure?

Which of the numbered soil horizons is most likely to have clay or calcium carbonate?

Which of the following slope failures is most likely to cause large numbers of casualties?

How does material in soil move?

The layer of quartzite in this photograph would mostly weather by:

The landslide that destroyed La Conchita,as shown in this photograph,is probably:

The joints in the photograph mimic topography,indicating that they formed:

What factors lead to the Viaont landslide disaster?

Why does weathering of granite bedrock produce rounded shapes?

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

Which of the following is probably NOT important in assessing an area's potential for slope failure?

Which of the following is valid for how rocks weather?

Which of the following is a way that slopes fail?

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

Joints in the landscape:

Which of the following slope failures is least likely to cause casualties?

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

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

The type of slope failure shown in this photograph is:

The Nature of Geology

Investigating Geologic Questions

Plate Tectonics

Earth Materials

Igneous Environments

Volcanoes and Volcanic Hazards

Sedimentary Environments and Rocks

Deformation and Metamorphism

Geologic Time

The Seafloor and Continental Margins

Mountains, basins, and Continents

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

Climate, weather, and Their Influences on Geology

Glaciers, shorelines, and Changing Sea Levels

Streams and Flooding

Water Resources

Energy and Mineral Resources

Geology of the Solar System

Filters