Elemental Geosystems, 5e (Christopherson) Chapter 10 Weathering, Karst Landscapes, and Mass Movement

1) The science that specifically studies the origin, evolution, form, and spatial distribution of landforms is A) geology.

B)

geography. C) geomorphology. D) environmental chemistry. Answer C !) All processes that cause the wearing away or rearrangement of landforms are included in the term A) mass movement. B) mass wasting. C) weathering. D) denudation. Answer D ") The uplift of mountains is caused by A) endogenic processes. B)

aggradation. C) denudation. D) e#ogenic forces. Answer A $) %f the earth did not e#perience endogenic processes, the landscape would A) be rugged and of great relief as a result of uplift in the absence of weathering and erosion. B) consist of high mountains and hills with smooth, gentle slopes. C) be of very low relief as a result of weathering and erosion in the absence of uplift. Answer C &) 'hich of the following is not e#ogenic in nature( A) weathering B) erosion C) denudation D) batholith formation )) mass wasting Answer D

*) 'hich of the following was not suggested by 'illiam +orris Davis in his model of landscape evolution( A) ,plift is followed by erosion. B) -treams initially erode rapidly both in the headward direction and downward due to the high relief of the initial landscape. C) -lope angles and divides become steeper through time. D) All of these were suggested by Davis. Answer C .) The form that a landscape e#hibits results from a balance between A) forces acting on the landscape. B) endogenic and e#ogenic processes. C) inputs and outputs of matter and energy. D) all of the above Answer D /) The dynamic e0uilibrium model refers to A) a balancing act between tectonic uplift and rates of reduction by weathering and erosion in a given landscape. B)

a theory involving the cyclic or evolutionary development of a landscape. C) a se0uential development of landforms. D) an important concept first stated by 'illiam +orris Davis. Answer A 1) %n reality, a landscape behaves as A) a closed system. B) an open system. C) an evolutionary model changing in a se0uence of stages that is the same everywhere on the earth. D) a closed system in terms of energy and an open system in terms of matter. Answer A 12) %f material is to move downslope, it must overcome the force of A) friction. B) the cohesion of particles to each other. C) inertial resistance of the material. D) all of these Answer D

11) ,plift of the landscape creates 33333333 energy which is converted to 33333333 energy when materials begin to move downslope. A) 4inetic5 potential B) potential5 4inetic C) potential5 chemical D) 4inetic5 chemical Answer B 1!) After a threshold is crossed, the landscape A) remains unstable thereafter. B) ad6usts to a new e0uilibrium condition. C) loo4s identical to the landscape that e#isted prior to the crossing of the threshold. D) Any of these are e0ually li4ely to occur. Answer B 1") Conflicting forces wor4 to establish an optimum incline on a slope. 'hen any of these conditions are disturbed or altered, the materials on the slope reach a A) condition of static e0uilibrium. B)

condition of metastable e0uilibrium at the time of disturbance. C) geomorphic cycle. D) geomorphic threshold, or change point. Answer D 1$) +ovement at the geomorphic threshold signals A) a conversion of potential energy to 4inetic energy. B) a conversion of 4inetic energy to chemical energy. C) frictional resistance overcoming the degree of cohesion. D) a lac4 of change. Answer A 1&) The conve# upper portion of a typical slope is called a A) pediment. B) debris slope. C) wa#ing slope. D) free face. Answer C

1*) 7n which part of a slope would roc4s tend to fall at the highest speeds( A) waning slope B) wa#ing slope C) debris slope D) free face

Answer

D 1.) The disintegration and dissolving of surface and subsurface roc4 is called A) erosion.

B)

mass wasting. C) landmass denudation. D) weathering. Answer D 1/) 'hich of the following is false regarding 6oints( A) 8oints are small, locali9ed fault planes along which movement occurs. B) 8oints enable more water to move through the ground. C)

8oints enhance the rate of weathering. D) All of these are true. Answer A 11) %n the :orthern hemisphere mid;latitudes, slopes that face 33333333 have more trees on them because 33333333. A) south5 they receive more direct sunshine for photosynthesis B) south5 they receive more rainfall C) north5 they are more moist D) north5 they receive more direct sunshine Answer C !2) Chemical weathering is greatest under conditions of A) higher mean annual rainfall and temperatures. B) lower mean annual rainfall and temperatures. C) temperatures below free9ing. D) rainfall of less than !& cm <12 in) per year. Answer A !1)

%n which of the following climates would the subsurface line of contact between weathered and unweathered materials be at the greatest depth( A) cold and wet B) cold and dry C) hot and wet D) hot and dry Answer C !!) The rate at which roc4s weather depends upon A) the climate of an area. B) the type of roc4. C) the amount of vegetation in an area. D) all of the above )) the climate of an area and the type of roc4 only. Answer D !") =hysical weathering is greatest under conditions of A) lower temperatures and higher precipitation. B)

higher temperatures and precipitation, wetter, warmer climates. C) a lac4 of moisture at the surface. D) temperatures that reach below free9ing. Answer D !$) 7ther than the roc4 itself, the most important chemical substance needed for the ma6ority of weathering processes is A) o#ygen.

B)

nitrogen.

C)

water.

D)

carbon dio#ide. Answer C !&) %n most areas, the upper surface of bedroc4 is partially weathered to bro4en;up roc4 called A) parent roc4. B) bedroc4.

C)

sediment.

D)

regolith.

Answer

D !*) 'hen roc4 is bro4en and disintegrated without dissolving, the process in operation is A) physical weathering. B) chemical weathering. C) hydrolysis. D) carbonation. Answer A !.) 'hich of the following is not a type of physical weathering process( A) e#foliation B) hydrolysis C) salt crystal growth D) frost wedging Answer B !/) The fact that water e#pands as much as 1 percent of its volume as it free9es is the basis of A) chemical weathering processes. B) pressure;release 6ointing.

C) crystalli9ation. D) frost wedging. Answer D

!1) The dramatic domes and arch;shaped features found in granitic mountain masses result from A) solution processes. B) frost;wedging. C) pressure;release 6ointing, e#foliation, and sheeting. D) spheroidal weathering. Answer C "2) The large sheets of roc4 that brea4 off batholiths, such as >alf Dome in ?osemite :ational =ar4, develop as a result of A) e#foliation.

B)

mineral e#pansion. C) salt crystal growth. D) frost wedging. Answer A "1) )#foliation occurs because A) water combines with minerals and increases their si9e, thereby causing surrounding minerals to pop out of the roc4 matri#. B) water free9es in 6oints and e#pands.

C) overlying roc4 is removed, thereby allowing the underlying roc4 mass to e#pand. D) All of the above are possible causes of e#foliation. Answer C "!) >ydration involves A) a chemical weathering process. B) swelling and stress within a roc4 with the addition of water. C) frost action. D) the action of wind. Answer B "") 'hich type of weathering is limited to arid environments( A) e#foliation

B)

frost wedging C) hydrolysis

D)

salt crystal growth )) carbonic acid solution Answer

D "$) 'hich of the following is true of spheroidal weathering( A) %t is a physical weathering process. B) %t is a type of e#foliation associated with pressure release. C) %t attac4s the corners and edges of roc4s. D) All of these are true. Answer C "&) 'hich of the following are the principal active agents involved in chemical weathering( A) o#ygen, silicon, aluminum B) magnesium, water, limestone C) water, o#ygen, carbon dio#ide D) nitrogen, o#ygen, argon Answer C "*) An e#ample of chemical weathering is A) e#foliation.

B)

the brea4down of roc4s by free9ing and thawing. C) the wearing away of a stream ban4 by a river. D) the limestone formations of Carlsbad Caverns in :ew +e#ico. Answer D ".) >ydrolysis involves A) no actual chemical change in minerals. B) water being added to a mineral leading to swelling and stress in roc4. C) water chemically combining with minerals. D) hydraulic action of water between roc4s. Answer C "/) 'hich is true of hydrolysis( A) %t involves silicate minerals. B) %t involves the chemical reaction of water with a mineral. C) %t produces clays D) All of the above are true. )) 7nly A and B are true.

Answer D "1) The yellow;red stains that occur on some roc4 surfaces are the result of 33333333, which is a form of 33333333 weathering. A) hydration5 physical B) hydration5 chemical C) solution5 chemical D) o#idation5 physical )) o#idation5 chemical Answer ) $2) @arst topography is formed primarily by A) carbonic acid solution. B) mass wasting processes. C) o#idation and hydrolysis. D) e#foliation and hydration. Answer A $1) Concrete that is buried below the ground will usually weather faster than that above ground. This is

because A) carbonic acid solution attac4s the concrete. B) water is more abundant in the soil. C) e#foliation is more li4ely to occur below ground level. D) carbonic acid solution attac4s the concrete and water is more abundant in the soil only. )) all of these Answer D $!) 'hich of the following is not necessary for well;developed 4arst to develop( A) high proportion of calcium carbonate in the roc4 B) 6oints in roc4 of low permeability C) vegetation D) arid conditions Answer D $") The weathering of limestone can create circular depressions 4nown as A) uvalas. B) stalactites.

C) sin4holes.

D)

caverns.

Answer

C $$) Cave formations develop from the precipitation of A) calcite.

B)

halite.

C)

phosphate.

D)

sulfate.

Answer

A $&) 'hich of the following countries is noted for its spectacular tower 4arst( A) Aussia

B)

the ,.-.

C)

China

D)

Brance

Answer

$*) 'hich of the following is incorrectly matched( A) stalagmite formation built up from a cave floor B) sin4hole doline C) 4arst towers formations created by the merging of stalactites and stalagmites D) comple# landscape of intersecting dolines coc4pit 4arst Answer C $.) All unit movement of materials propelled and controlled by gravity are referred to as A) lahars. B) downslope flows. C) mass movements or mass wasting. D) slides. Answer C $/) The steepness of a slope of loose material at rest is the A) height of the slope. B) angle of repose. C)

mass movement gradient. D) the speed of the particles. Answer B $1) 7ne side of a sand dune is typically steeper than the other side. The slope of the steepest is controlled by the angle of repose for sandwhich has a value that is typical for most materials. This angle is about 33333333. A) & degrees B) 1& degrees C) "$ degrees D) ./ degrees Answer C

&2) %f you have ever played on a beach and made a sand castle, you used wet sand rather than dry sand. ?ou did this because the 33333333 of wet sand is greater than that of dry sand. A) angle of repose B) cohesiveness C) gravity

D)

cohesiveness and gravity )) angle of repose and cohesiveness Answer ) &1) Candslides occur when A) a threshold is reached. B) the internal friction is overcome by the force of gravity. C) when driving forces e#ceed resisting forces. D) all of the above )) B and C only Answer D &!) %n the Andes +ountains of -outh America, entire towns of thousands of people have been buried suddenly when snow fell from high on a mountain side, melted on impact, and then mi#ed with loose materials that

traveled downhill as a viscous fluid. This type of catastrophic event is 4nown as a A) lahar. B) slump. C) roc4 fall. D) slide. )) debris avalanche. Answer ) &") 'hich of the following might be e#pected to occur in an ash;covered, mountainous volcanic region following a heavy rain( A) lahar

B)

slump

C)

roc4slide

D)

creep

))

debris avalanche Answer A &$) A landslide differs from a debris avalanche in that A)

the materials in a landslide are not saturated with water. B) the materials in a debris avalanche are not saturated with water. C) a land slide moves much more slowly than a debris avalanche. D) a land slide moves much more 0uic4ly than a debris avalanche. Answer A &&) A translational slide involves A) rotational movement of surface material. B) movement of surface material along a planar surface. C) unconsolidated flow of material. D) mudflow. Answer B

&*) The engineers who built the Daiont Aeservoir in %taly should have anticipated the possibility of a 33333333 because the valley in which the dam was located had hillsides made of sedimentary roc4 that tilted downslope toward the reservoir. A) translational slide B) rotational slide C) lahar D) debris avalanche Answer A &.) A persistent mass movement of surface soil is called a A) debris avalanche. B) soil creep. C) soil slide. D) roc4fall. Answer B &/) %n 11.", part of the flat ground on which a subdivision was located became saturated and began to flow toward the -aint Cawrence Aiver at speeds of up to !* 4mph <1* mph). The ground that flowed consisted of silts and claysnot large, roc4y regolith. 'hat type of mass wasting event was this( A) debris avalanche B)

soil creep C) )arth flow D) lahar Answer C &1) 'hich of the following can initiate hillslope failure( A) ma4ing a roadcut in the side of a hill B) increasing the slope angle C) e#cessively watering a slope D) all of these Answer D *2) >uman;induced mass movements produce a category of processes 4nown as A) debris flows. B) mass wasting. C) scarification. D) translational slides. Answer C

*1) The balancing act between tectonic uplift and reduction of the landscape by weathering and erosion, between the resistance of crust materials and the attac4 of denudation processes, is summari9ed in the dynamic e0uilibrium model. Answer

True Balse *!) The model of landscape evolution developed by 'illiam +orris Davis is still widely regarded as the most accurate model of landscape evolution yet developed. Answer True

Balse

*") The dynamic e0uilibrium model of landscape evolution emphasi9es a balance among forces, form and processrather than cyclical stages of development. Answer

True Balse *$) %f a landscape is evolving toward a threshold condition, this means that it is approaching a condition of stability. Answer True

Balse *&) A landscape in a state of dynamic e0uilibrium e#periences no change. Answer True

Balse **) %ron o#idation produces red and yellow stains on roc4s. Answer

True Balse *.) +ass wasting occurs when gravity overcomes friction. Answer

True Balse */)

=hysical and chemical weathering processes are not separate they often operate in concert to decompose and dissolve roc4. Answer

True Balse *1) =hysical weathering dominates in warm, wet climates. Answer True

Balse .2) @arst topography involves the chemical weathering of granite landscapes. Answer True

Balse .1) All 4arst landscapes go through the same stages of development. Answer True

Balse .!) The radio telescope in Arecibo is set in a landscape formed by chemical weathering processes. Answer

True Balse .") Dripstone formations in caves develop while the caves are full of groundwater. Answer

True

Balse .$) A landslide designation is used when substantial amounts of water are saturated in the mass of materials. Answer True

Balse .&) -oil creep is a natural process sometimes related to a free9e;thaw cycle of soil moisture. Answer

True Balse .*) Carlsbad Caverns was produced by e#ogenic processes. Answer

True Balse ..) -oil thic4ness will decrease when soil production rates are greater than soil erosion rates. Answer True

Balse ./) The angle of repose of snow avalanche slopes is typically higher than that for soil or roc4. Answer

True

Balse