SSHS Physical Geology - Mass Wasting
creep - Answer Very slow, continuous downslope movement of soil or debris.
debris - Answer Any unconsolidated material at Earth's surface.
debris avalanche - Answer Very rapid and turbulent mass wasting of debris, air, and
water.
debris fall - Answer A free-falling mass of debris.
debris flow - Answer Mass wasting in which motion is taking place throughout the
moving mass (flow). The common varieties are earthflow, mudflow, and debris
avalanche.
debris slide - Answer Rapid movement of debris as a coherent mass.
earthflow - Answer Slow-to-rapid mass wasting in which debris moves downslope as a
very viscous fluid.
fall - Answer The situation in mass wasting that occurs when material free-falls or
bounces down a cliff.
flow - Answer A type of movement that implies that a descending mass is moving
downslope as a viscous fluid.
landslide - Answer The general term for a slowly to very rapidly descending mass of
rock or debris.
mass wasting - Answer Movement, caused by gravity, in which bedrock, rock debris, or
soil moves downslope in bulk.
mudflow - Answer A flowing mixture of debris and water, usually moving down a
channel.
permafrost - Answer Ground that remains permanently frozen for many years.
relief - Answer The vertical distance between points on Earth's surface.
rock avalanche - Answer A very rapidly moving, turbulent mass of broken-up bedrock.
rockfall - Answer Rock falling freely or bouncing down a cliff.
rockslide - Answer Rapid sliding of a mass of bedrock along an inclined surface of
weakness.
creep - Answer Very slow, continuous downslope movement of soil or debris.
debris - Answer Any unconsolidated material at Earth's surface.
debris avalanche - Answer Very rapid and turbulent mass wasting of debris, air, and
water.
debris fall - Answer A free-falling mass of debris.
debris flow - Answer Mass wasting in which motion is taking place throughout the
moving mass (flow). The common varieties are earthflow, mudflow, and debris
avalanche.
debris slide - Answer Rapid movement of debris as a coherent mass.
earthflow - Answer Slow-to-rapid mass wasting in which debris moves downslope as a
very viscous fluid.
fall - Answer The situation in mass wasting that occurs when material free-falls or
bounces down a cliff.
flow - Answer A type of movement that implies that a descending mass is moving
downslope as a viscous fluid.
landslide - Answer The general term for a slowly to very rapidly descending mass of
rock or debris.
mass wasting - Answer Movement, caused by gravity, in which bedrock, rock debris, or
soil moves downslope in bulk.
mudflow - Answer A flowing mixture of debris and water, usually moving down a
channel.
permafrost - Answer Ground that remains permanently frozen for many years.
relief - Answer The vertical distance between points on Earth's surface.
rock avalanche - Answer A very rapidly moving, turbulent mass of broken-up bedrock.
rockfall - Answer Rock falling freely or bouncing down a cliff.
rockslide - Answer Rapid sliding of a mass of bedrock along an inclined surface of
weakness.
