Ch 6. Geomorphic Processes - Exogenic and Endogenic Processes

Question 1

What is Gradation ?

Answer 1

The wearing down of relief features is called Gradation

Question 2

What is a Geomorphic process ?

Answer 2

Geomorphical processes - Natural erosion, weathering and depositional mechanisms. They result in the alteration of the earth’s surface materials and landforms

Question 3

What are exogenic geomorphic processes ?

Answer 3

Processes that act on the surface of the earth.
Weatheing, mass wasting, deposition and erosion are called exogenic geomorphic processes

Question 4

What are endogenic geomorphic processes ?

Answer 4

Geomorphic processes that act in the earth’s interior.
Volcanism and diastrophism are endogenic geomorphic processes

Question 5

What is a geomorphic agent ?

Answer 5

Any exogenic element of nature such as water, wind and ice; that is capable of collecting and carrying earth materials is called as geomorphic agent

Question 6

What is Diastrophism ?

Answer 6

All processes that involve elevating, moving or building up components of the earth’s crust are called Diastrophism (slow movement)

Question 7

What are Orogenic processes ?

Answer 7

Endogenic processes which lead to mountain building by the way of folding

Question 8

What are Epeirogenic processes ?

Answer 8

Endogenic processes which lead to Continent building

Question 9

What is Weathering ?

Answer 9

The breaking of rocks on the earth’s surface by different agents like rivers, wind, sea waves and glaciers

Question 10

What is Erosion ?

Answer 10

The carrying of broken rocks from one place to another by natural agents like wind, water and glaciers

Question 11

What is Mass movement ?

Answer 11

Mass movements are defined as processes of transport and accumulation of material that occur on both gentle and steep slopes mainly owing to gravitational forces. Mass movement is a subset of Erosion

Question 12

What is the difference between Geomorphic processes and agents ?

Answer 12

Geomorphic process is a force applied on the earth materials affecting the same. While geomorphic agent is a mobile medium (like running water, moving ice masses, the waves and currents, wind, etc.) that weathers, erodes and deposits earth materials

Question 13

How is Physical / Mechanical Weathering caused ?

Answer 13

1. Gravitation force
2. Water pressure
3. Expansion forces
4. Freezing, thawing and frost wedging
5. Salt weathering

Question 14

What is a Tor ?

Answer 14

A smoothly surfaced and rounded boulder formed due to exfoliation

Question 15

How is Chemical Weathering caused ?

Answer 15

1. Solution
2. Carbonation
3. Hydration
4. Oxidation
5. Reduction

Question 16

What is Biological Weathering ?

Answer 16

Removal or contribution of minerals to the environment due to biological activity is called Biological Weathering

Question 17

What is a Creep (Mass movement) ?

Answer 17

It occurs on moderate, steep, soil-covered slopes. It dosen’t need to be lubricated with water like in soliflucation

Under this, the movement is extremely slow and less visible except when it is observed over the long period of time

Question 18

What is Solifluction

Answer 18

It is the process of slow flowing of soil mass or fine-grained rock debris downslope which is saturated or lubricated with water

It can be considered as a type of creep where lubricated water influences the soil movement. It primarly occurs in permafrost region

Question 19

What is a Mudflow ?

Answer 19

With heavy rainfall and in the absence of vegetation cover, huge amount of soil and other material get saturated with water and either slow or rapidly flow down along definite channels is called as mudflow

Question 20

What is an Earthflow ?

Answer 20

Movement of water-saturated clayey or silty earth materials downward through low angle terraces or hillslides is called earthflow

Question 21

What is an Avalanche ?

Answer 21

An Avalanche is a type of landslide that occurs in snowy regions

Question 22

What is a Landslide ?

Answer 22

A Landslide is a form of mass wasting that includes the movement of a large area of land under the force of gravity. It is made of soil, rocks or mud

Question 23

What is a Slump ?

Answer 23

a landslide consisting of a mass of material moving downslope as a unit, usually along a curved plane of failure.

Question 24

What is Abrasion ?

Answer 24

Abrasion is a process of erosion which occurs when material being transported wears away at a surface over time. It is the process of friction caused by scuffing, scratching, wearing down, marring and rubbing away of materials

Question 25

What are different events in Erosion ?

Answer 25

Detachment, entrainment and transportation

Question 26

What is Entrainment in Erosion ?

Answer 26

entrainment is the process by which surface sediment is incorporated into a fluid flow (such as air, water or even ice) as part of the operation of erosion.

Question 27

What is Suspension in Erosion ?

Answer 27

Suspension is where, without coming in contact of their origin, the particles are held by the medium

Question 28

What is Saltation in Erosion ?

Answer 28

Saltation is where the particle travels in fast, repetitive cycles from the surface to the medium. Usually the action of returning to the surface has enough force to allow new particles to be entrained

Question 29

What is Traction in Erosion ?

Answer 29

It is the displacement of the particles around the eroded surface by rolling, slipping and shuffling

Question 30

What is Flocculation in Deposition ?

Answer 30

It is chemical process in which salt allows minute claly particles to be aggregated into larger masses which are too heavy to remain suspended

Question 31

Which factors are responsible for soil formation ?

Answer 31

1. Parent material
2. Climate
3. Precipitation
4. Temperature
5. Biota
6. Topography
7. Time