Geology 1 Questions for Chapter 15

1) Which one of the following materials has the maximum, sustainable, slope angle, as determined by the angle of repose? A) dry silt B) moist, sandy soil with a clay-rich matrix C) dry sand D) moist, clay-rich shale layers 3) 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? A) It will increase as the slope angle is lessened. B) It will decrease as the slope angle is lessened. C) It is not affected by the slope angle. D) It will possibly increase or decrease as slope angle is lessened, depending upon other factors. 4) How do the strength and cohesion of clay-rich regolith or soil change with the addition of water? A) Water does not affect the cohesion but lowers the strength. B) Water reduces the strength of clays but raises the cohesion of the soil. C) Water increases the strength and cohesion. D) Water lowers the strength and cohesion. 5) ________ involves movement on a zone of compressed air. A) A slump B) A mudow C) A rock avalanche D) Soil creep 6) Of the following, which one would most likely be triggered by an earthquake? A) soliuction B) soil creep C) slump D) rock avalanche 8) Consider a steep highway cut made by removing slightly weathered to fresh, fractured, granite bedrock. Which of the following situations is most stable against rockslides? A) one set of widely spaced, sub-horizontal fractures B) two sets of fractures, one inclined toward the road cut and the other away C) two sets of fractures, one widely spaced and sub-horizontal, the other inclined away from the highway cut D) one set of widely spaced fractures inclined towards the road cut 9) Which of the following was a major factor leading to the Gros Ventre, WY slide? A) Erosion by the river had undercut the slope-forming shale and exposed the underlying sandstone. B) Soils and shallow bedrock were very wet and locally saturated. C) A strong earthquake caused the unstable rock layers to move. D) Dry weather caused the clay-rich strata to compact, allowing the overlying sandstone to slide into the valley. 11) Why was the Alaskan pipeline built above ground and insulated? A) to protect the pipeline against damage due to thawing ground and to keep the crude oil hot and uid B) to keep the crude oil cool and highly uid C) to protect against damage from herds of elk and deer D) to protect against damage from roots of large trees uprooted in windstorms 10) What caused the mudows (1985) on the Nevado del Ruiz volcano? A) Hot ash fell onto snow near the summit. B) A crater lake was broken during an eruption. C) Warm weather caused rapid melting of snow and ice near the summit. D) all of the above 12) 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? A) just below the lowest piece of sandstone seen in the soil B) just above the highest piece of sandstone seen in the soil C) just below the highest piece of sandstone seen in the soil D) just above the lowest piece of sandstone seen in the soil

14) Which statement best describes slumping, a mass wasting process? A) A block or blocks of unconsolidated regolith slide downhill along a curved slip surface. B) Blocks of hard bedrock rapidly slide downhill along fracture surfaces. C) The soil and regolith move downhill very slowly. D) A mass of soil or regolith becomes saturated with water and suddenly ows downhill to the base of the slope. 18) As an erosional process, how is mass wasting unique from wind, water, and ice? A) Mass wasting affects particles of all sizes whereas the others affect only smaller particles. B) Mass wasting does not require a transporting medium. C) Mass wasting affects much larger geographic areas than does wind, water, and ice. D) All of the above make mass wasting unique compared to wind, water, and ice. 19) Which of the following mass movements is most likely to occur in a geologic setting where the rock strata are inclined? A) debris ow B) slump C) creep D) rockslide 20) Which of the following statements concerning mudows is not true? A) Mudows may be caused by heavy rains or melting snow. B) In hilly areas, mudows move down the canyons and stream valleys. C) Mudows deposit talus slopes. D) Mudows can move and carry very large boulders and other coarse debris. 21) During wet weather or times when snow is melting, sometimes the downhill toe of a slump ________. A) turns into a rock avalanche B) becomes an earthow C) stops moving because water makes the clay sticky D) collapses and is deposited as talus at the base of the slope 22) How do freezing, thawing, wetting, and drying contribute to soil creep? A) The soil becomes much weaker when dry and frozen. B) Gravity exerts a much stronger force when the soil is wet and thawed. C) The soil expands and contracts, lifting particles and dropping them a slight distance downslope. D) Eventually, these cause the soil and regolith to suddenly slide down the slope. 23) All of the following are possible indicators that creep is occurring except for ________. A) tilted fences or power line poles B) an extremely thick soil prole C) curved tree trunks D) cracks in roads or sidewalks Short Answer Questions Mass wasting denotes the downslope movement of soils and regolith. 31) _____________ Gravity 32) _____________ is the basic force that moves or accelerates soil and regolith down a slope. soliuction 34) Which process of mass wasting occurs primarily in permafrost regions? _________________ fall 35) Talus blocks or piles are associated with what of motion: a fall, a slide, or a ow? _________________ Slump 36) _____________ involves the downslope movement of a block or blocks of unconsolidated soil and regolith along a curved, slip surface. rock avalanche 37) What is the fastest moving of the mass wasting processes? _________________ 38) Unconsolidated, granular materials such as gravel and sand will support maximum slope angles of about 33 to 35 degrees. angle of repose What is the name for this maximum slope angle? _________________ Scarp 39) _____________ denotes the exposed portion of the slip surface beneath a slump block. Talus 40) _____________ is the fan-shaped pile of broken rock fragments at the base of a steep, bedrock slope or cliff.