Mass Movement

Question 1

what is mass movement?

Answer 1

movement of material down a slope due to influence of gravity

Question 2

what types of mass movements are there? (7)

Answer 2

soil creep
solifluction
mudflows
rockfalls
landslides
landslips/slumps
run off

Question 3

what is mass movement categorised into? (4)

Answer 3

creeps, flows, slides and falls

Question 4

explain soil creep

Answer 4

the movement of soil particles downhill
- particles rise and fall due to wetting and freezing

Question 5

explain solifluction

Answer 5

• occurs in periglacial environments –> top layers thaw during summer and saturated soil moves downslope

Question 6

define periglacial

Answer 6

an area that undergoes seasonal freezing and thawing

Question 7

explain mudflows

Answer 7

an increase in water in soil reduces friction -> mud flows over underlying bedrock (fast flowing)

Question 8

explain rockfalls

Answer 8

occurs on sloped cliffs when exposed to mechanical weathering
- results in scree building up at the base of slope and acting as input to coastal zone

Question 9

explain landslides

Answer 9

blocks of intact rock move down the cliff face quickly along a flat slope
- heavy rainfall can reduce friction in cliffs and lead to a landslide

Question 10

explain landslips/slumps

Answer 10

on a curved slope, land collapses under its own weight

Question 11

explain runoff

Answer 11

water erodes the cliff face

Question 12

what impact does climate have on mass movement?

Answer 12

colder climates -> mechanical weathering is more common

warmer climates -> chemical weathering is more common