3.3 Slope processes and development

Question 1

Avalanches

Answer 1

Rapid movements of snow, ice, rock or earth down a slope

Question 2

Climatic geomorphology

Answer 2

Different processes that operate in different climatic zones, producing different slope forms or shapes.

Question 3

Falls

Answer 3

Movements of rock/debris under the effect of gravity.

Question 4

Flows

Answer 4

Movement of a mass of soil or rock that contain a significant amount of water.

Question 5

Heaves

Answer 5

Movements of soil or ice towards the surface in a vertical direction

Question 6

Mass movements

Answer 6

Large scale movements of the Earth’s surface that are not accompanied by a moving agent such as a river, glacier or ocean wave.

Question 7

Regolith

Answer 7

Irregular cover of loose rock debris that covers the Earth.

Question 8

Shear Strength

Answer 8

Internal resistance of a slope

Question 9

Shear stress

Answer 9

Forces attempting to pull a mass downslope.

Question 10

Sheet wash

Answer 10

Unchannelled flow of water over a soil surface.

Question 11

Sides

Answer 11

An entire mass of material moving along a slip plane

Question 12

Slope

Answer 12

Inclines surface (hillslope) or an angle of inclination (slope angle)

Question 13

Slope evolution

Answer 13

Development of slopes over time

Question 14

Slope form

Answer 14

Shape of the slope in cross-section

Question 15

Slope processes

Answer 15

Activities acting on the slope

Question 16

Slumps

Answer 16

Form of mass movement which occur on weaker rocks, especially day, and have a rotational movement along a curved slip plane.

Question 17

Throughflow

Answer 17

Water moving down through the soil.

Question 18

Climatic geomorphology

Answer 18

Branch of geography that studies how different processes operate in different climatic zones.

Question 19

Soil

Answer 19

Part of the regolith. It is structure and texture and determines how much

Question 20

Surface wash

Answer 20

Soil’s infiltration capacity is exceeded

Question 21

Sheetwash

Answer 21

Us channelled flow of water over a soil surface

Question 22

Soil heave or creep

Answer 22

Slow, small scale process which occurs mainly in winter. Happens due to moisture and volume change. Form terracettes.