Question 1

The main downslope movement of subarctic and arctic landscapes is ________.
A) permafrost
B) mass wasting
C) mudslide
D) rock glacier
E) solifluction

Accepted Answer

Solifluction is the slow downslope movement of soil and regolith in areas with a cold or frozen subsurface layer. This is commonly found in subarctic and arctic landscapes where permafrost is present, and is the main downslope movement process in these environments.

Question 2

The slowest and least perceptible form of mass wasting is ________.
A) mudflow
B) creep
C) landslide
D) solifluction
E) exfoliation

Accepted Answer

Creep is the slowest and least perceptible form of mass wasting, where soil and rock gradually move downhill due to the force of gravity. This movement is so slow that it is often imperceptible to human observation, yet over time it can cause significant damage to structures and landscapes. Mudflows, landslides, solifluction, and exfoliation are all more rapid and noticeable forms of mass wasting.

Question 3

Creep associated with animals and resembling a faint network of trails is called ________.
A) a terracette
B) solifluction
C) a seiche
D) hydrolysis
E) oxidation

Accepted Answer

A terracette is the correct term for faint network trails often associated with the movement of animals across a slope. These features resemble small terraces and are formed by the repeated passage of animals, which compresses the soil and vegetation.

Question 4

The rock debris which accumulates at the base of steep slopes by gravitational action is called ________.
A) exfoliation
B) talus
C) slump
D) creep
E) vesicles

Accepted Answer

Talus is the rock debris that accumulates at the base of steep slopes due to the action of gravity. Exfoliation is the process by which layers of rock peel off due to changes in pressure. Slump is the downward movement of a mass of rock or unconsolidated material as a unit along a curved surface. Creep is the gradual movement of soil and rock downhill due to gravity. Vesicles are small cavities or holes within a rock that are formed by the escape of gases during solidification.

Question 5

Salt wedging seems to be of consequence in ________.
A) regions above the treeline
B) coastlines
C) marshes
D) urban regions
E) volcanic regions

Accepted Answer

Salt wedging is a common phenomenon that occurs along coastlines where seawater seeps into rocks and evaporates, leaving behind salt crystals that gradually accumulate and create pressure, causing the rock to crack and break apart.

Question 6

In percolating rainwater, dissolved gases and the decay products of local vegetation increase the water's capacity to ________.
A) evaporate
B) condense
C) drive chemical reactions
D) freeze
E) undergo mechanical weathering

Accepted Answer

The dissolved gases and decay products can act as catalysts for chemical reactions in the water, such as oxidation or reduction reactions.

Question 7

A joint can be distinguished from a fault in that ________.
A) there is wider separation between two sides
B) joints are a feature of cold climates exclusively
C) there is no difference between joints and faults
D) there is no movement along joints
E) joints are not found in metamorphic rocks

Accepted Answer

Joints are fractures or cracks in rocks where there is no movement or displacement of the sides. Faults, on the other hand, are fractures where there is movement or displacement of the sides. Therefore, the best choice is D, which states that there is no movement along joints.

Question 8

The rotting of rock by the various types of chemical weathering takes place best in ________.
A) polar regions
B) upland montane forests
C) arid lands
D) humid regions
E) limestone regions

Accepted Answer

Chemical weathering is most effective in humid regions, where abundant moisture and warm temperatures enhance the rate of chemical reactions between water and rock.

Question 9

Water penetrating into soil promotes chemical weathering by acting as a weak ________.
A) acid
B) base
C) saline solution
D) neutral agent
E) catalyst

Accepted Answer

Water can act as a weak acid by reacting with minerals in the soil, causing chemical weathering.

Question 10

A weathering type associated with curved and concentric sets of joints that break away in successive layers is called ________.
A) exfoliation
B) hydrolysis
C) landslide
D) creep
E) solifluction

Accepted Answer

The weathering type described is exfoliation, which is characterized by the separation of curved and concentric layers of rock due to the release of confining pressure. This process is commonly seen in areas that have undergone significant temperature changes and where there are significant differences in the expansion and contraction rates of the outer and inner layers of rocks.

Question 11

________ are the most common structural features of rocks.
A) Joints
B) Faults
C) Solution cavities
D) Lava vesicles
E) Fractures

Accepted Answer

Joints are the most common structural features in rocks. They are cracks or fractures in rocks, which are caused by stresses that do not result in movement or displacement of the rock mass. Joints can be found in almost all types of rocks, and their orientation and size can provide important information about the history of the rock and the processes that affected it. While faults and fractures are also common features in rocks, joints are more abundant and can have a greater impact on the mechanical and geochemical behavior of the rock. Solution cavities and lava vesicles are less common features, typically found in specific rock types or environments.

Question 12

The major end product of chemical weathering is (are) ________.
A) silts
B) clays
C) sands
D) talus
E) airborne dust

Accepted Answer

The major end product of chemical weathering is clay, as it is the result of the breakdown of minerals through chemical reactions. While silts, sands, talus, and airborne dust may result from physical weathering processes, they are not the major end product of chemical weathering.

Question 13

A slope collapse with a backward rotation is a ________.
A) talus slope
B) rock slide
C) debris flow
D) rock glacier
E) slump

Accepted Answer

A slope collapse with a backward rotation is a slump. Slumps are a type of mass wasting event where a block of material moves down a slope along a curved surface, rotating backward as it goes. The other options (talus slope, rock slide, debris flow, and rock glacier) do not involve a backward rotation.

Question 14

The general term signifying the overall lowering of the rock material on the Earth's crust is ________.
A) denudation
B) mass wasting
C) slumping
D) jointing
E) weathering

Accepted Answer

Denudation refers to the overall lowering of the Earth's surface due to weathering, erosion, and mass wasting. Mass wasting (B) is a specific type of denudation that involves the downslope movement of rock and soil under the influence of gravity. Slumping (C) is a type of mass wasting characterized by the sliding of a mass of rock or soil along a curved surface. Jointing (D) refers to the breaking of rock along natural cracks or fractures. Weathering (E) is the breakdown and decomposition of rock material, but it does not necessarily involve the lowering of the Earth's surface.

Question 15

Water is a major agent of weathering because of its property that, when it freezes, it decreases in density and ________.
A) evaporates
B) turns white
C) expands in volume
D) stays in liquid form below 0° Celsius
E) turns acidic

Accepted Answer

When water freezes, it expands in volume, which places stress on the surrounding rock and can lead to mechanical weathering. As water freezes and thaws repeatedly, it can cause rock to break apart into smaller fragments.

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT a type of opening along which weathering agents attack bedrock?
A) joints
B) faults
C) lava vesicles
D) solution cavities
E) batholiths

Accepted Answer

Batholiths are large masses of igneous rock that have solidified beneath the Earth's surface and are not considered an opening or fracture along which weathering agents can attack bedrock. Joints, faults, lava vesicles, and solution cavities are all types of openings that can be susceptible to weathering processes.

Question 17

In mountain areas, when large amounts of rock fragments move downslope of their own weight, they are called ________.
A) slumps
B) rock glaciers
C) veins
D) laccolith
E) dikes

Accepted Answer

The term "rock glacier" refers to the movement of rock fragments downslope due to gravity in mountain areas. Slumps are a type of mass wasting in which a cohesive unit of rock or sediment moves along a curved surface. Veins, laccoliths, and dikes are all different types of intrusive igneous features.

Question 18

Residual rock that has not experienced erosion is termed ________.
A) basalt
B) talus
C) dome
D) block
E) bedrock

Accepted Answer

Bedrock refers to the solid, underlying rock that has not been eroded away. Basalt is a type of igneous rock, talus refers to the debris at the base of a slope, dome refers to a geological formation, and block could refer to a variety of angular rock formations.

Question 19

The chemical union of water with another substance is called ________.
A) talus
B) hydrolysis
C) solifluction
D) oxidation
E) magma

Accepted Answer

Hydrolysis is the chemical reaction in which water breaks down a compound into two or more substances by reacting with its chemical bonds. It is a type of chemical union with water. Choice A, C, D, and E are unrelated to the chemical union with water.

Question 20

The most important type of mechanical weathering process is ________.
A) salt wedging
B) oxidation
C) frost shattering
D) hydrolysis
E) uniformitarianism

Accepted Answer

Frost shattering is the most important type of mechanical weathering process because it is very effective at breaking down rock into smaller pieces. When water seeps into cracks in rocks and freezes, it expands, causing the rock to break apart. This process is repeated over time, further breaking down the rock into smaller pieces.

Quiz 15: Preliminaries to Erosion: Weathering and Mass Wasting

The main downslope movement of subarctic and arctic landscapes is ________.

The slowest and least perceptible form of mass wasting is ________.

Creep associated with animals and resembling a faint network of trails is called ________.

The rock debris which accumulates at the base of steep slopes by gravitational action is called ________.

Salt wedging seems to be of consequence in ________.

In percolating rainwater, dissolved gases and the decay products of local vegetation increase the water's capacity to ________.

A joint can be distinguished from a fault in that ________.

The rotting of rock by the various types of chemical weathering takes place best in ________.

Water penetrating into soil promotes chemical weathering by acting as a weak ________.

A weathering type associated with curved and concentric sets of joints that break away in successive layers is called ________.

________ are the most common structural features of rocks.

The major end product of chemical weathering is (are) ________.

A slope collapse with a backward rotation is a ________.

The general term signifying the overall lowering of the rock material on the Earth's crust is ________.

Water is a major agent of weathering because of its property that, when it freezes, it decreases in density and ________.

Which of the following is NOT a type of opening along which weathering agents attack bedrock?

In mountain areas, when large amounts of rock fragments move downslope of their own weight, they are called ________.

Residual rock that has not experienced erosion is termed ________.

The chemical union of water with another substance is called ________.

The most important type of mechanical weathering process is ________.