Which of the following increases the risk of mass movement?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Flooding the sediment with water to the point of saturation increases the weight of the sediment, decreases its stability, and reduces friction between grains, all of which increase the risk of mass movement. Adding a small amount of moisture to loose, dry sediment (A) can make it slightly more cohesive, but is unlikely to increase the risk of mass movement. Waves breaking before they reach sea cliffs (B) can erode the base of the cliffs and increase their instability, but do not directly increase the risk of mass movement. Similarly, reducing the grade of the slope (D) can make it less steep and therefore less prone to failure, but does not directly increase the risk of mass movement.

Which of the Following Increases the Risk of Mass Movement