Question 1

How did the underlying geology contribute to the Gros Ventre Landslide of 1925?
A)Rains saturated the sandstone and clay that make up the slope.
B)Creep weakened the sandstone making up the slope.
C)Vegetation was removed from the slope.
D)The river that flowed through the valley dissolved the limestone.

Accepted Answer

The underlying geology of sandstone and clay contributed to the Gros Ventre Landslide of 1925 by becoming saturated with rainwater, causing instability in the slope leading to the landslide.

Question 2

The great multimillionaire Rich Mahn is building a new mansion on a steep bluff overlooking a languid river below ...or, at least he could look over the river if it weren't for all the trees in the way.Whipping out his cell phone, he calls a local landscaping company and has all of the trees ripped out and the steep slope smoothed back into place.Several months later, Rich is making another phone call, this time to a construction company.It seems that the bluff is eroding away at an alarming rate and the ground that his new house is sitting on is being undermined.What event(s)led to the mass wasting at Rich's house and why?

Accepted Answer

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Question 3

What role does fire play in making mass wasting more severe during subsequent rains?

Accepted Answer

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Question 4

You are driving along a mountain highway built into the side of the mountain.The rock layers making up the slope are oriented parallel to the slope.What are three ways that the slope could be stabilized to reduce the likelihood of landslides?

Accepted Answer

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Question 5

Which one of the following locations would be most likely to have the mass wasting process visible here? (Note: The region is underlaid by permafrost.)
A)Siberia
B)Colorado
C)Japan
D)Kansas

Accepted Answer

The presence of permafrost suggests a high-latitude environment, and Siberia is known to have permafrost and a history of mass wasting events.

Question 6

How can road construction in mountainous areas exacerbate mass wasting?

Accepted Answer

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Question 7

Assuming this location is near the Arctic Circle, what kind of mass wasting is visible in this image?
A)Mudflow
B)Creep
C)Solifluction
D)Rockslide

Accepted Answer

The image shows the pattern of downslope movement caused by solifluction, a form of mass wasting common in permafrost regions, where the active layer of soil above the permafrost thaws and becomes saturated with water, causing it to flow downslope. This can be seen in the curved, lobate shapes of the soil and sediment layers in the image. Mudflow and rockslide typically occur in areas with steep slopes or loose sediment, while creep is a slower form of movement that doesn't create the same distinctive patterns as solifluction.

Question 8

What geologic factors contributed to the severity of the Gros Ventre Landslide of 1925?

Accepted Answer

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Question 9

Compare and contrast earthflows and debris flows.

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Question 10

Identify the mass-wasting event in this image.
A)Mudflow
B)Creep
C)Solifluction
D)Rockslide

Accepted Answer

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Question 11

Identify the mass-wasting event in this image.
A)Fall
B)Lahar
C)Debris flow
D)Slump

Accepted Answer

The image shows a curved layer of sediment and soil that has moved down a slope in a rotational motion, indicating a slump type of mass-wasting event.

Question 12

Evaluate the statement, "All lahars are mudflows, but not all mudflows are lahars."

Accepted Answer

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Question 13

Identify the mass-wasting event in this image.
A)Slide
B)Lahar
C)Mudflow
D)Earthflow

Accepted Answer

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Question 14

Compare and contrast rotational slides and translational slides.

Accepted Answer

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Question 15

Identify the mass-wasting event in this image.
A)Solifluction
B)Lahar
C)Mudflow
D)Slump

Accepted Answer

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Question 16

In which direction is mass wasting occurring in this image? (Note: The perspective is from the side.)
A)From top to bottom
B)From left to right
C)From bottom to top
D)From right to left

Accepted Answer

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Question 17

Identify the mass-wasting event in this image.
A)Fall
B)Rockslide
C)Debris flow
D)Slump

Accepted Answer

The image shows a sudden and abrupt failure of a rocky slope, indicating a rockslide.

Question 18

How did the debris from the Gros Ventre Landslide of 1925 lead to another disaster in the same region in 1927?
A)Loose debris resulted in a mudflow.
B)The mass movement of sediment contaminated drinking water.
C)The debris blocked the river, creating a lake that later burst.
D)The debris mixed with river water to create a lahar.

Accepted Answer

The debris from the Gros Ventre landslide blocked the Gros Ventre River, creating a lake known as Lower Slide Lake. In 1927, the dam created by the debris gave way, causing a catastrophic flood downstream.

Question 19

Imagine you are at the beach, building a sandcastle.Dry sand cannot hold a form, so the addition of water is necessary to build the castle.However, too much water will destroy the sandcastle and cause the sand to flow away in a slurry.This is similar to the role pore water has on sediments in a slope.What role does water play to maintain a slope? What role does water play to cause mass wasting of the slope?

Accepted Answer

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Question 20

Assume this house is located in central Alaska.What did this house do to the local landscape to end up so misaligned?
A)The house shifted because of a mudflow.
B)The weight of the house generated a debris flow.
C)A rockfall knocked the house off its foundation.
D)Heat from the house melted the permafrost below.

Accepted Answer

Central Alaska is known for its permafrost, which is soil that remains frozen year-round. If a house is built on top of melting permafrost, it can shift and become misaligned. Heat from the house can cause the permafrost to thaw, which can lead to instability in the ground below. Therefore, it is likely that the heat from this house caused the permafrost to melt and led to its misalignment.

Quiz 15: Mass Wasting

How did the underlying geology contribute to the Gros Ventre Landslide of 1925?

What role does fire play in making mass wasting more severe during subsequent rains?

You are driving along a mountain highway built into the side of the mountain.The rock layers making up the slope are oriented parallel to the slope.What are three ways that the slope could be stabilized to reduce the likelihood of landslides?

Which one of the following locations would be most likely to have the mass wasting process visible here? (Note: The region is underlaid by permafrost.)

How can road construction in mountainous areas exacerbate mass wasting?

Assuming this location is near the Arctic Circle, what kind of mass wasting is visible in this image?

What geologic factors contributed to the severity of the Gros Ventre Landslide of 1925?

Compare and contrast earthflows and debris flows.

Identify the mass-wasting event in this image.

Identify the mass-wasting event in this image.

Evaluate the statement, "All lahars are mudflows, but not all mudflows are lahars."

Identify the mass-wasting event in this image.

Compare and contrast rotational slides and translational slides.

Identify the mass-wasting event in this image.

In which direction is mass wasting occurring in this image? (Note: The perspective is from the side.)

Identify the mass-wasting event in this image.

How did the debris from the Gros Ventre Landslide of 1925 lead to another disaster in the same region in 1927?

Assume this house is located in central Alaska.What did this house do to the local landscape to end up so misaligned?