GEOG 300 - Chapter 9
Which condition would promote weathering?
Abundance of joints
Know frost wedging by looking at slabs of granite
See phone for picture
What are the surface depressions associated with karst topography?
Sinkholes
Which type of mass movement involves material moving along a curved glide plane?
Slump
What forms through time as groundwater evaporates from the ceiling of a cavern?
Stalactite
Which of the following is not exogenic in nature?
Tectonic uplift
What is salt weathering?
The formation of minerals in rock cracks during the evaporation of salty water, forcing rock apart
Why does water frozen in the cracks of a rock help to break down the rock?
Water expands when frozen and physically forces the rock apart
Which of the following are the principal active agents involved in chemical weathering?
Water, oxygen, carbon dioxide
What is the relationship between weathering and mass movement?
Weathering prepares material for mass movement.
When will a slope be unstable?
When the slope exceeds the angle of repose
The maximum angle at which soil, sediment, and rock will remain without moving downslope (e.g., a stable slope) is the
angle of repose
Salt-crystal growth (salt weathering) is prevalent in which climate type
arid
When rainwater attacks formations of limestone, the minerals dissolve and wash away with the mildly acid rainwater. This is an example of
carbonation
When rock is broken down and disintegrated in the presence of water and with chemical alterations to the rock, the process in operation is
chemical weathering
Which is an example of a resisting force as related to hillslope environments?
cohesiveness of individual particles
A mass of falling and tumbling rock, debris, and soil leveling at a high velocity owing to the presence of ice or water is a
debris avalanche
The uplift of mountains is caused by
endogenic processes
When pressure is removed from overlying rock, the pressure of deep burial is relieved, initiating pressure-release jointing. The joints then separate into curved slabs. This is known as
exfoliation
If material is to move down slope, it must overcome the force of
friction, cohesion of particles, and inertial resistance
The fact that water expands as much as 9% of its volume as it freezes is the basis of
frost wedging
The science that specifically studies the origin, evolution, form, and spatial distribution of landforms is
geomorphology
Chemical weathering is greatest under conditions of
higher rainfall and temperatures
Extensive landscapes formed by the dissolution of limestone and other carbonate rock and characterized by pitted, bumpy surface topography, poor surface drainage, and well developed solutions channels are known as
karst topography
The downslope movement of a body of material made up of soil, sediment, or rock propelled by the force of gravity is known as
mass movement
Weathering that softens and rounds the sharp edges and corners of jointed rock is known as
spheroidal weathering
The process that breaks down rock at the Earth's surface through disintegration of rocks into mineral particles or dissolving it into water is known as
weathering
Which weathering process is most enhanced by human-induced acid rain?
Carbonation
Which is an example of a resisting force as related to hillslope environments?
Cohesiveness of individual particles
Which mass movement is the slowest?
Creep
Which mass movement involves the highest moisture content?
Flow
What type of weathering involves prying rock apart as water freezes and expands?
Frost action
Which is generally the most important trigger for mass movements?
Heavy precipitation
In which climates would rocks experience the highest amounts of chemical decomposition and decay?
Hot and wet
Which of the following is not a type of physical weathering process?
Hydrolysis
Which of the following is correct regarding joints?
Joints are fractures in rock that occur without displacement on either side
Which condition most promotes formation of karst topography?
Joints in impermeable limestone
What is an example of scarification?
Open-pit mining
What weathering process could be considered the rusting of rocks?
Oxidation
Hydrolysis, hydration, oxidation, and carbonation are all examples of ________ weathering processes.
only chemical
Rust, formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the presence of water, is an example of
oxidation
When rock is broken down and disintegrated without any chemical alterations, the process in operation is
physical weathering
Factors influencing the weathering process include
rock composition and structure, climate, organic processes, and subsurface water
The presence of talus slopes indicates the occurrence of
rockfall
The weathering of limestone can create circular depressions known as
sinkholes
Other than the rock itself, the most important chemical substance needed for the majority of chemical weathering processes is
water