chapter 6 geomorphic processes question answer
1. Which of the following is a type of mass movement?
(a) Slow movements
(b) Rapid movements
(c) Landslides
(d) All of the above.
2. Which of the following is a form of weathering?
(a) Physical
(b) Chemical
(c) Biological
(d) All of the above.
3. Which type of weathering occurs due to growth of ice within pores and cracks of rocks
during repeated cycles of freezing and melting?
(a) Frost weathering
(b) Landslides
(c) Water weathering
(d) Crystallisation
4. Which of the following is an example of endogenic forces?
(a) Erosion
(b) Volcanism
(c) Weathering
(d) Balance.
5. What is weathering?
Answer:
Weathering is defined as mechanical disintegration and chemical decomposition of
rocks through the actions of various elements of weather and climate.
6. What is meant by geomorphic process?
Answer:
The endogenic and exogenic forces causing physical stresses and chemical actions on
earth material and bringing about changes in the configuration of the surface of the
earth is known as geomorphic process.
7. What factors activate the process of mass movement?
Answer:
Following factors activate the process of mass movement.
• Removal of support from below to materials above through natural or artificial
means;
• Increase in gradient and height of slopes;
• Overloading through addition of materials naturally or by artificial filling;
• Overloading due to heavy rainfall, saturation and lubrication of slope materials;
• Removal of material or load from over the original slope surfaces;
• Occurrence of earthquakes, explosions or machinery;
• Excessive natural seepage;
• Heavy drawdown of water from lakes, reservoirs and rivers leading to slow
outflow of water from under the slopes or river banks;
• Indiscriminate removal of natural vegetation.
8. Explain about erosion and deposition.
Answer:
Erosion involves acquisition and transportation of rock debris. When massive rocks
break into smaller fragments through weathering and any other process, erosional
geomorphic agents like running water, groundwater, glaciers, wind and waves remove
and transport it to other places depending upon the dynamics of each of these agents.
Abrasion by rock debris carried by these geomorphic agents also aids greatly in
erosion. By erosion, relief degrades, i.e., the landscape is worn down. Weathering aids
erosion it is not a pre-condition for erosion to take place. Weathering, mass-wasting
and erosion are degradational processes. It erosion that is largely responsible for
continuous changes that the earth’s surface is undergoing. The erosion and
transportation of earth materials is brought about by wind, running water, glaciers,
waves and ground [Link] is a consequence of erosion. The erosional agents
loose their velocity and hence energy on gentler slopes and the materials carried by
them start to settle themselves. In other words, deposition is not actually the work of
any agent. The coarser materials get deposited first and finer ones later. By deposition
depressions get filled up. The same erosional agents viz., running water, glaciers,
wind, waves and groundwater act as aggradational or depositional agents also. What
happens to the surface of the earth due to erosion and deposition is elaborated in the
next chapter on landforms and their evolution. There is a shift of materials in mass
movements as well as in erosion from one place to the other.
9. Time and parent material play a passive role in soil formation. Do you agree? Justify.
Answer:
Yes, I agree.
• Time: It is the passive controlling factor in soil formation. The length of time the
soil forming processes operate determine maturation of soils and profile
development.
• Parent Material: It is a passive factor in soil formation. Parent material can be
moved or transported debris. Soil formation depends upon the texture, structure
as well as mineral and chemical composition of the rock debris/ deposits.