Deck 12: Weathering and Mass Wasting

Question 1

Which of the following does NOT commonly occur when dark-colored mafic rocks weather?

A)Mafic minerals weather to clay minerals by hydrolysis.
B)Iron-bearing minerals can oxidize to form the iron oxide mineral hematite.
C)The abundant quartz in the rocks dissolves and forms silica-rich spring deposits.
D)Some minerals weather at different rate than other minerals.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Some rocks and minerals are not stable at the surface because they

A)are exposed to water.
B)formed in high-temperature environments.
C)formed in high-pressure environments.
D)are exposed to oxygen.
E)All of these.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

What is the main type of weathering illustrated by this weathered limestone?

A)physical weathering
B)dissolution
C)oxidation
D)exfoliation

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Bowen's reaction series describes

A)the degree of chemical reactivity of various minerals.
B)the order in which minerals crystallize from magma as the magma cools.
C)the ratio of the rate of chemical weathering to physical weathering in a particular rock.
D)the ratio of the rate of physical weathering to chemical weathering in a particular rock.

Question 5

A common rock that can be dissolved easily by water and weak acids is

A)quartzite.
B)quartz-rich sandstone.
C)limestone.
D)All of these.

Question 6

What should have warned the people of coastal Venezuela that they were in a hazardous zone?

A)the cities were built upon alluvial fans
B)the houses had been built on debris flow deposits
C)the areas above the city had steep unstable slopes
D)All of these.

Question 7

Which of the following factors control how minerals weather?

A)the strength of the chemical bonds in the mineral
B)what type of mineral is present
C)the temperature at which the original minerals formed
D)whether a mineral typically crystallizes early or late in Bowen's Reaction Series
E)All of these.

Question 8

Which of the following is valid for how rocks weather?

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 9

Joints in the landscape

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 areas to be less resistant to weathering than those without joints.
D)All of these.

Question 10

Where does the quartz in granite typically end up?

A)as small clay minerals that are deposited in lakes and the sea
B)quartz does not weather and so it keeps the granite from weathering
C)as sand in rivers, dunes, and beaches
D)it is converted into feldspar and weathers into clays

Question 11

What happens to the surface area of exposed rock if a rock is fractured?

A)there are more pieces, but the surface area does not change
B)the surface area does not change because the volume does not change
C)the surface area increases as the rock is fractured
D)the surface area decreases as the rock is fractured

Question 12

How does the character of a rock influence weathering?

A)Fractures and other discontinuities block the entry of water into a rock and so make the rock more resistant to weathering.
B)Minerals that are soluble can be dissolved and reprecipitated and so are resistant to weathering.
C)Rocks that are broken have more surface area and so weather faster.
D)Rocks that are easily weathered and eroded generally form steep cliffs.
E)None of these.

Question 13

What is the main reason why the oceans are salty?

A)The early oceans were salty because comets are dirty snowballs.
B)Salt deposits that formed early in Earth's history become dissolved by modern oceans.
C)Weathering of rocks releases chemical elements that make the oceans salty.
D)Blowing salt crystals become incorporated into clouds and falls with the rainfall.

Question 14

What concepts can be explained using this diagram?

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 15

What is the dominant type of weathering shown in this photograph?

A)dissolution
B)chemical weathering
C)debris flow
D)hydrolysis
E)physical weathering

Question 16

What happens when rocks oxidize near Earth's surface?

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 17

The layer of quartzite in this photograph would mostly weather by

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

Question 18

What events caused so much damage along the north coast of Venezuela in 1999?

A)A landslide shook loose a large piece of the mountains that caused the water in the reservoir to flood local towns.
B)Torrential rains caused debris flows and flash floods that raced through cities.
C)The slow movement of slopes downhill broke apart houses but did not kill any people.
D)Overgrazing caused a loss of grass cover and resulted in severe soil erosion.

Question 19

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

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 20

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

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

Question 21

Which of the following is a feature that commonly forms where limestone has been dissolved?

A)sinkhole
B)karst topography
C)cave
D)All of these.

Question 22

Lichens play a special role in chemical weathering by

A)weakening the hydrogen bond in water, making it more effective at dissolving rocks with high quartz concentrations.
B)slowing the rate of jointing in rocks.
C)acting as a catalyst for dissolution of minerals that crystallize at the highest temperatures.
D)secreting oxalic acid, which dissolves carbonates particularly well.

Question 23

Which of the following are true about factors that influence weathering?

A)Chemical weathering occurs fastest in cold or dry climates.
B)Whether a slope faces toward or away from the sun is not an important factor influencing weathering.
C)Soil and other weathering products tend to accumulate more on gentle slopes than on steep slopes.
D)Time is not a critical factor in weathering because physical and chemical processes have not changed much through time.

Question 24

Which of these four numbered features on the surface or in a cave is a stalagmite?

A)1
B)2
C)3
D)4
E)None of these.

Question 25

Which of the following features is NOT formed by precipitation of calcite from water?

A)travertine
B)stalagmite
C)stalactite
D)sinkhole
E)flowstone

Question 26

Why does weathering of granite bedrock produce rounded shapes?

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 27

Which sequence of events is required to form a limestone cave where you can walk around and observe cave formations, such as stalactites?

A)limestone is below the water table, then lowering of the water table, then water dripping from the ceiling
B)lowering of the water table, then water dripping from the ceiling, then limestone is below the water table
C)water dripping from the ceiling, then lowering of the water table, then limestone is below the water table
D)None of these.

Question 28

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

A)Acidic waters dissolve feldspar in granite, producing clay.
B)Groundwater removes material from limestone.
C)Hot geothermal waters introduce acids into shallow rocks.
D)Carbon dioxide rises from depth and dissolves calcite and clay.

Question 29

All other factors being equal, a slope facing away from the Sun will tend to have

A)faster soil formation than the slope in direct sunlight, primarily because chemical weathering processes will be accelerated.
B)faster soil formation than the slope in direct sunlight, primarily because physical weathering processes will be accelerated.
C)slower soil formation than the slope in direct sunlight, primarily because chemical weathering processes will be slower.
D)slower soil formation than the slope in direct sunlight, primarily because physical weathering processes will be slower.

Question 30

What is the most common way in which sinkholes form?

A)a small explosion of methane gas from coal beds
B)a small explosion of CO₂ gas from dissolving limestone
C)a rising dome of salt finally reaches the surface
D)the roof of a cave collapses

Question 31

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

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)All of these.

Question 32

Which of the following features is formed by the collapse of caves?

A)travertine
B)stalagmite
C)stalactite
D)sinkhole
E)flowstone

Question 33

Compared to a gentle slope, a steep slope will have a

A)faster rate of soil formation and less soil.
B)slower rate of soil formation and less soil.
C)faster rate of soil formation and more soil.
D)slower rate of soil formation and more soil.

Question 34

Which state would most likely have the highest ratio of physical weathering to chemical weathering rates?

A)Florida
B)Alaska
C)New York
D)Nevada

Question 35

The rock type that is the most common setting for caves formed by dissolution of a rock is

A)well-sorted sandstone.
B)gray limestone.
C)dark porous lava flows.
D)gray granite.
E)slate.

Question 36

Which of these four numbered features on the surface or in a cave can be formed by the dissolution or collapse of limestone?

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

Question 37

Which of the following features is composed of calcium carbonate?

A)limestone
B)travertine
C)cave formations like stalagmites
D)All of these.

Question 38

Which of these four numbered features on the surface or in a cave is a stalactite?

A)1
B)2
C)3
D)4
E)None of these.

Question 39

Which of these four numbered features on the surface or in a cave are formed by the precipitation of calcium carbonate, due to the evaporation of water?

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

Question 40

Which state would most likely have the highest rate of chemical weathering?

A)Florida
B)Alaska
C)New York
D)Nevada

Question 41

In which setting is karst topography most likely to feature steep pillars, knobs, and oddly shaped rocks?

A)tropical
B)arid
C)mid-latitude
D)polar

Question 42

What factors lead to the Viaont landslide disaster?

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 43

Which numbered feature on this figure is a scarp?

A)1, a linear or curved scar marking where the slide pulled away from the hill
B)2, small fractures within the sliding block
C)3, the intact layers below the rock slide
D)4, the front of the slide, where it overruns the land surface
E)5, a valley or other open space in front of the slide

Question 44

Which numbered feature on this figure is critical to enable a rock slide to start?

A)1, a linear or curved scar marking where the slide pulled away from the hill
B)2, small fractures within the sliding block
C)3, layers, fractures, or some other discontinuity inclined downslope
D)4, the front of the slide, where it overruns the land surface
E)5, a valley or other open space in front of the slide

Question 45

Which of the following is NOT a common trigger 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 46

The largest area of karst in the United States is included in

A)Florida.
B)Mississippi.
C)Minnesota.
D)Texas.

Question 47

The main feature shown in this photograph illustrates

A)weathering.
B)flooding.
C)permafrost.
D)slope failure.

Question 48

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

A)evaporite rocks such as gypsum
B)areas underlain by salt
C)sandstone
D)evaporite rocks and areas underlain by salt, but not sandstone

Question 49

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

A)talus slope
B)some slopes of sand dunes
C)angle of slopes on cinder (scoria)cones
D)All of these.

Question 50

What type of slope failure is shown in this figure?

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

Question 51

Which of the following factors is typically NOT used to classify slope failures?

A)whether the material involved is rock or is unconsolidated
B)the rate of movement
C)the climate in which the failure occurs
D)the mechanism by which material moves

Question 52

What type of slope failure is shown in this figure?

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

Question 53

Which of the following factors favors movement of a rock slide?

A)layers that are inclined opposite to the slope of the hill
B)solid rock with few preexisting joints or faults
C)a massive rock with no bedding or other through-going discontinuities
D)a valley or other open space downslope from the rock slide

Question 54

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

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 55

Which of the following is the best indication that limestone caves could be present at depth?

A)springs
B)cliffs and overhangs along rivers
C)large quartz crystals laying on the surface
D)gently sloping hills
E)limestone pillars and sinkholes

Question 56

What type of slope failure is shown in this figure?

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

Question 57

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

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 58

Which of the following is a way that slopes fail?

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 59

The angle of repose is

A)the angle of bedding on hills where layers dip parallel to the slope.
B)the angle of fractures on hills where fractures dip parallel to the slope.
C)the angle at which rainfall strikes an unstable slope.
D)the steepest angle at which loose material remains stable.

Question 60

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

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

Question 61

What did the USGS discover when they studied the Slumgullion feature?

A)there were different parts with different ages
B)movement formed folds, faults, fissures, and zones of shearing
C)some parts of the material moved faster than other parts
D)All of these.

Question 62

What type of slope failure is shown in this figure?

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

Question 63

Based on the photographs of La Conchita, California, what type of slope failure occurred?

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

Question 64

What type of slope failure is shown in this figure?

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

Question 65

Which of the following has the lowest potential for landslides?

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

Question 66

What type of slope failure is shown in this figure?

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

Question 67

Which of the following areas in the investigation terrain is least likely to cause casualties in the event of a slope failure?

A)Bent Fence Hills with the leaning trees
B)flanks of Flattop Hill
C)Rock Valley
D)the area below Tilted Mountain

Question 68

What type of slope failure is depicted in this photograph?

A)creep
B)debris avalanche
C)permafrost
D)None of these.

Question 69

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

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

Question 70

Which of the following can we use to recognize prehistoric slope failures?

A)sedimentary deposits
B)orientation of beds and other geologic structures
C)masses of rock fragments that are unusual for an area
D)hummocky topography
E)All of these.

Question 71

The USGS evaluated the age of different parts of the Slumgullion feature by

A)measuring the size of trees incorporated into the material.
B)measuring the temperature of rocks soon after the feature had moved.
C)examining the development of soil.
D)measuring the content of moisture during different seasons.
E)None of these.

Question 72

What type of slope failure is shown in this figure?

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

Question 73

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

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 74

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

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

Question 75

The type of slope failure shown in this photograph is

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

Question 76

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

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 77

What type of slope failure has occurred in the Slumgullion area of Colorado?

A)a huge rock fall that formed Colorado's second largest lake
B)a debris flow that came down Big Thompson Canyon
C)a debris avalanche that raced downhill at breathtaking speeds
D)a slow-moving earth flow

Question 78

Which of the following slope failures moves at the slowest rate?

A)earth flow
B)rock avalanche
C)debris flow
D)rock fall
E)debris avalanche

Question 79

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

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

Question 80

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

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.