Mass wasting, also known as slope movement or mass movement, is the geomorphic process by which soil, sand, regolith, and rock move downslope typically as a solid, continuous or discontinuous mass, largely under the force of gravity, frequently with characteristics of a flow as in debris flows and mudflows. Mass wasting and landslides mass wasting soest hawaii. This class exercise is an opportunity for students to apply textbook information about weathering and mass wasting to local and nationallyrecognized surface features, such as stone mountain ga, half dome ca, and others. Word search covering the vocabulary that will be used when discussing mass wasting with geology students. Mass wasting and glaciers worksheets lesson worksheets. As we explore this unit, students will discover the impact that various processes have on the shaping of earths crust. Mass wasting, which is sometimes called mass movement or slope movement, is defined as the large movement of rock, soil and debris downward due to the force of gravity. For example, bed degradation due to hydraulic forces can lead to an oversteepening. Debris flows include masswasting or landslides can result in millions of dollars of damage with some deaths. Mass wasting erosion features exceeding 50 m 2 in a map view were observed in sandstone bedrock at four locations along the coast at tusan. Mass wasting occurs both on land and beneath the sea. Mass movements mass movements also called masswasting is the downslope movement of regolith loose uncemented mixture of soil and rock particles that covers the earths surface by the force of gravity without the aid of a transporting medium such as. There are both multiple choice and short answer questions.
The composition and texture of debris, the amount of air and water mixed with it. Mass wasting is the downslope movement of regolith and masses of rock under the pull of gravity. Swelling caused by expansion of clay or through frost action types of mass wasting. Weathering, soil, and mass wasting after reading and studying ch. Weathering, masswasting, and other aspects of erosion constitute a continuum of interacting processes.
The geologic process known as mass wasting is defined as the. Use examples to explain the difference between mechanical and chemical weathering and the variation in the rate of weathering. Gravity the force of gravity provides the energy that causes material to move downhill. Earths external processes weathering the disintegration and decomposition of material at or near the surface mass wasting the transfer of rock material downslope under the influence of gravity.
Mass wasting is the down slope movement of rock debris under the pull of gravity without a transporting medium. Download fulltext pdf overview of the effects of mass wasting on the natural environment article pdf available in environmental and engineering geoscience 1. It is a significant part of the process of erosion because it moves. Masswasting is a unique geomorphological process destabilizing the surface rocks and soil mass. Mass wasting is the downhill movement of rock and soil material due to gravity. Worksheets are mass wasting and landslides mass wasting, mass wasting handout, chapter 10 mass wasting, weathering and erosion work 1l2, misp weathering and erosion work 3 assessment l2, chapter 4 weathering and soil, mass movement processes and landforms, mass movements. The downslope movement of rock, regolith, and soil under the direct influence of gravity gravity is the controlling force important triggering factors saturation oversteepening removal of vegetation ground vibrations. This worksheet has 20 earth science regents questions about the mass movement. Mass movements and mass movement processes tulane university.
Pdf overview of the effects of mass wasting on the. Any perceptible down slope movement of rock or regolith is often referred to in general terms as a landslide. Destruction of vegetative cover on the valley walls of the upper paez river, southwestern colombia, by slides, debris avalanches, and debris flows triggered by the 1994 paez earthquake. This is one of the central concepts of this course. And, can you mentally image how weathering, mass wasting, and erosion would operated in such diverse landscapes. The quiz will test you on the characteristics of mass wasting. Use variations in topography, visible through the stereoscope, to help define the boundary of. The features are shown in a map view and a crosssection view in fig.
Note the huge debris flow in the center and right foreground of the photo. This downward movement is called as mass movement or masswasting. Mass wasting under water 1 mass wasting under water is an extremely common and widespread means of sediment transport on the seafloor and in lakes. Worksheets are weathering and erosion work 1l2, mass wasting handout, glaciers and glaciation, mass movement processes and landforms, erosion weathering and change activity guide, agents of erosion and deposition, mass wasting and landslides mass wasting, name class date. Some questions will give a definition and then you will need to select the corresponding term. This can be used in conjunction with the mass wasting flash cards, cross word and quizworksheet. Mass wasting, sometimes called mass movement, is the downward movement by gravity of rock, regolith loose, weathered rock andor soil on the sloped top layers of the earths surface. What happens to the speed of a glacier or other slow moving examples of mass wasting when it moves down a slope do they slow down, speed up, or does the speed remain. Nature of material velocity of movement nature of movement 4 factors influencing mass movement nature of slope materials steepness of slope water content. Pile of material, damage to landscape cultural features, dangerous if near population. Moving water has a dramatic effect of on earths surface by carving valleys and canyons as well as creating other landforms. Gravity pulls rocks, soils and debris on a downward slope naturally without any chemical change.
California state university, long beach 1250 bellflower boulevard, long beach, california 90840. Processes of downslope movement of surficial earth materials under the pull of gravity are collectively termed mass wasting. Mass wasting is the downslope movement of masses of earth materials. Slope the steeper the slope, the downslope pull angle of repose steepest angle at which a pile of unconsolidated grains remains stable and controlled by frictional. What is the major force that causes mass wasting to occur. A search of the document itself finds only three standards related to weathering, mass wasting, erosion, and landscape change.
Mass wasting process by which material moves downslope under the force of gravity 3 mass movement is classified on the basis of. Introduction mass wasting the downslope movement of. In the following illustration a boulder shown in gray rests on an inclined surface. Mass movements also called masswasting is the downslope movement of regolith loose uncemented mixture of soil and rock particles that. Mass wasting the downslope movement of rock, regolith, and soil under the direct influence of gravity gravity is the controlling force important triggering factors saturation of the material with water oversteepening devegetation vibration. A form of mass wasting with rock slides landslides avalanches. The most common failure is due to a combination of hydraulic and geotechnical forces refer to figure 1. Identify the rest of the failure and outline the entire failed region on the air photo.
Which of the following terms is used to describe the resistive forces of the mountain, including the cohesive strength and. Click to view the presentation in html online lecture pt. Weathering, mass wasting, erosion, and landscape change. Definition the bulk movement of weathered and broken rock. Click to view or download the presentation in pdf 34 mbytes. Think about the mass wasting glacial creeping experiment and worksheet. As terrain becomes more mountainous, the hazard increases in developed nations impacts of masswasting or landslides can result in millions of dollars of damage with some deaths in less developed nations damage is more extensive because of population density, lack of stringent zoning laws, scarcity of.
Mass wastingmass wasting western oregon university. Chapter 4 weathering and soil western oregon university. Mass wasting is the transfer or movement of rock or soil down slope primarily by gravity. Define and describe the processes of weathering and erosion, including examples of negative and beneficial effects of these processes. Research geological sciences department california. Displaying all worksheets related to mass wasting and glaciers. That includes all earth materials, rock and regolith. Information on these locations, dimensions, and key characteristics of the features are presented in table 4, and shown in photographs in fig. Flow caused by weak internal cohesion as well as exceeding the threshold angle of repose 4. Types of mass wasting include creep, slides, flows, topples, and falls, each with its. Slides and sediment flows are extremely active on the mississippi delta front.
Erosion is the removal of sediments by natural processes e. Processes and forms of mass wasting mass wasting processes can occur through four actions 1. Questions relate to the effect of gravity on erosion and deposition, landslides, soil creeps, mud flows, avalanches, rock falls, angularunsorted sediments, and t. In less developed nations damage is more extensive because of population density, lack of stringent zoning laws, scarcity of information and inadequate preparedness. Some of the worksheets for this concept are mass wasting and landslides mass wasting, mass wasting handout, chapter 10 mass wasting, weathering and erosion work 1l2, misp weathering and erosion work 3 assessment l2, chapter 4 weathering and soil, mass movement processes and landforms, mass movements. As terrain becomes more mountainous, the hazard increases. Mass movement mass wasting downslope movement of regolith under the influence of gravity. Can be either slow creep or fast landslides, debris flows, etc. Mass wasting can take many forms and can occur over virtually the entire surface of the earth. The three slump blocks are just the upper part of the failure. Mass wasting is the movement of sediment or soil downhill by gravity.
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