Question 1

Assuming that all other conditions are identical, a slope that is ___ is more stable.

Accepted Answer

A)  more nearly vertical 
B)  more steeply inclined 
C)  more gently inclined 
D)  Slope angle has nothing to do with slope stability. 
A)  more nearly vertical 
B)  more steeply inclined 
C)  more gently inclined 
D)  Slope angle has nothing to do with slope stability.

Question 2

In ____, soil in which fine grains predominate moves downslope as a viscous fluid.

Accepted Answer

A)  landslides 
B)  avalanches 
C)  rockfalls 
D)  earthflows 
E)  creep 
A)  landslides 
B)  avalanches 
C)  rockfalls 
D)  earthflows 
E)  creep

Question 3

A(n) apron of fallen rock fragments called ___ is generally found at the base of a slope affected by rockfall.

Accepted Answer

A)  loess 
B)  talus 
C)  grus 
D)  alluvial 
E)  fluvial 
A)  loess 
B)  talus 
C)  grus 
D)  alluvial 
E)  fluvial

Question 4

Landslides that take place underwater are called waterslides.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

_______ is (are) associated with permafrost.

Accepted Answer

A)  Thixiotropy 
B)  Solifluction 
C)  Avalanches 
D)  Quicksands 
E)  Expansive clays 
A)  Thixiotropy 
B)  Solifluction 
C)  Avalanches 
D)  Quicksands 
E)  Expansive clays

Question 6

Humans can trigger earthflows by adding water to soil from septic systems or by over watering lawns.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

As a result of the landslide at the Vaiont Dam, northern Italy, in 1963, approximately 3000 people died __.

Accepted Answer

A)  as their houses that had been built on the landslide were destroyed 
B)  as their houses were buried by the landslide 
C)  when the landslide impacted and destroyed the dam structure 
D)  when slope failure allowed the dam structure to be pushed downstream by the water pressure of the reservoir 
E)  as a huge wave of water was displaced from the reservoir by the landslide 
A)  as their houses that had been built on the landslide were destroyed 
B)  as their houses were buried by the landslide 
C)  when the landslide impacted and destroyed the dam structure 
D)  when slope failure allowed the dam structure to be pushed downstream by the water pressure of the reservoir 
E)  as a huge wave of water was displaced from the reservoir by the landslide

Question 8

In areas where the daily temperature regularly varies above and below the freezing temperature of water, the freeze-thaw cycle __.

Accepted Answer

A)  facilitates soil creep 
B)  facilitates rock weathering 
C)  promotes the opening of cracks and joints in rock that may lead to rock falls 
D)  Both facilitates soil creep and facilitates rock weathering are correct. 
E)  All of the choices are all correct. 
A)  facilitates soil creep 
B)  facilitates rock weathering 
C)  promotes the opening of cracks and joints in rock that may lead to rock falls 
D)  Both facilitates soil creep and facilitates rock weathering are correct. 
E)  All of the choices are all correct.

Question 9

Heavy irrigation on a hillslope will cause __.

Accepted Answer

A)  increase in pore-fluid pressure 
B)  increase in weight of the slope 
C)  decrease in shear strength 
D)  increase in shear force/stress 
E)  All of the answers are correct. 
A)  increase in pore-fluid pressure 
B)  increase in weight of the slope 
C)  decrease in shear strength 
D)  increase in shear force/stress 
E)  All of the answers are correct.

Question 10

Slide is a term that means that the descending mass __.

Accepted Answer

A)  disintegrates as it moves down the slope 
B)  circulates as a fluid as it moves down the slope 
C)  must, by definition, remain entirely intact and move as a perfectly rigid block 
D)  remains intact 
A)  disintegrates as it moves down the slope 
B)  circulates as a fluid as it moves down the slope 
C)  must, by definition, remain entirely intact and move as a perfectly rigid block 
D)  remains intact

Question 11

The rate of movement in creep is usually __.

Accepted Answer

A)  a centimeter or less per year 
B)  a centimeter or so per week 
C)  a centimeter or so per day 
D)  around a meter per day 
E)  around a meter per hour 
A)  a centimeter or less per year 
B)  a centimeter or so per week 
C)  a centimeter or so per day 
D)  around a meter per day 
E)  around a meter per hour

Question 12

One way to prevent slope failure is to __.

Accepted Answer

A)  drain ground water from the slope 
B)  re-grade the slope so that it is more gently inclined 
C)  pin the rock onto the slope with rock bolts or other devices 
D)  retain or establish vegetation to protect the slope 
E)  All of the answers are correct. 
A)  drain ground water from the slope 
B)  re-grade the slope so that it is more gently inclined 
C)  pin the rock onto the slope with rock bolts or other devices 
D)  retain or establish vegetation to protect the slope 
E)  All of the answers are correct.

Question 13

Which of the following factors are how geologists, engineers, and others classifying mass wasting?

Accepted Answer

A)  viscosity, shear strength, translational movement 
B)  rate of movement, shear strength, gravity 
C)  type of material, shear strength 
D)  rate of movement, type of material, type of movement 
E)  gravity, shear strength, slip motion 
A)  viscosity, shear strength, translational movement 
B)  rate of movement, shear strength, gravity 
C)  type of material, shear strength 
D)  rate of movement, type of material, type of movement 
E)  gravity, shear strength, slip motion

Question 14

The driving force for mass wasting is gravity.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

A(n) _____ is the rapid sliding of a mass of bedrock along an inclined surface of weakness.

Accepted Answer

A)  debris flow 
B)  rockslide 
C)  avalanche 
D)  rockfall 
E)  creep 
A)  debris flow 
B)  rockslide 
C)  avalanche 
D)  rockfall 
E)  creep

Question 16

A region prone to frequent earthquakes is ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  more likely to have debris flows 
B)  less likely to have debris flows 
C)  Earthquake frequency has little influence on the frequency of debris flows. 
A)  more likely to have debris flows 
B)  less likely to have debris flows 
C)  Earthquake frequency has little influence on the frequency of debris flows.

Question 17

Viscosity is the resistance to movement of the material.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Mudflows frequently occur on young volcanoes covered with ash.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

____ generally makes a slope more susceptible to mass wasting of soil.

Accepted Answer

A)  New vegetation 
B)  Construction 
C)  Humid climates 
D)  Creep 
E)  Solifluction 
A)  New vegetation 
B)  Construction 
C)  Humid climates 
D)  Creep 
E)  Solifluction

Question 20

The term "mass wasting" refers to the improper use of Earth materials in a manner that is in conflict with the principles of conservation and environmental stewardship.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 9: Mass Wasting

Assuming that all other conditions are identical, a slope that is ___ is more stable.

In ____, soil in which fine grains predominate moves downslope as a viscous fluid.

A(n) apron of fallen rock fragments called ___ is generally found at the base of a slope affected by rockfall.

Landslides that take place underwater are called waterslides.

_______ is (are) associated with permafrost.

Humans can trigger earthflows by adding water to soil from septic systems or by over watering lawns.

As a result of the landslide at the Vaiont Dam, northern Italy, in 1963, approximately 3000 people died __.

In areas where the daily temperature regularly varies above and below the freezing temperature of water, the freeze-thaw cycle __.

Heavy irrigation on a hillslope will cause __.

Slide is a term that means that the descending mass __.

The rate of movement in creep is usually __.

One way to prevent slope failure is to __.

Which of the following factors are how geologists, engineers, and others classifying mass wasting?

The driving force for mass wasting is gravity.

A(n) _____ is the rapid sliding of a mass of bedrock along an inclined surface of weakness.

A region prone to frequent earthquakes is ____.

Viscosity is the resistance to movement of the material.

Mudflows frequently occur on young volcanoes covered with ash.

____ generally makes a slope more susceptible to mass wasting of soil.

The term "mass wasting" refers to the improper use of Earth materials in a manner that is in conflict with the principles of conservation and environmental stewardship.

Introducing Geology, the Essentials of Plate Tectonics, and Other Important Concepts

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