Mass Movements

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Total cards: 24•Content version: v4•Public deck•Updated: 8/1/2026

Card preview (24)

Front (Question)

Free fall

Back (Answer)

• Material detaches from a slope and then free falls through the air, or bounces and rolls downslope

Front (Question)

Slide

Back (Answer)

• Material (either rock or regality) that slides along a surface of rupture

Front (Question)

Flow

Back (Answer)

Continuous movement of rock, regolith, or both that behaves as a high viscosity liquid

Front (Question)

Rock falls are…

Back (Answer)

extremely rapid

Front (Question)

Debris/earth falls are..

Back (Answer)

Rapid to extremely rapid

Front (Question)

Rock slides are…

Back (Answer)

Very slow to extremely rapid

Front (Question)

Debris/earth slides are…

Back (Answer)

Very slow to very rapid

Front (Question)

Rock slumps are…

Back (Answer)

Extremely slow to moderate

Front (Question)

Debris/earth slumps are…

Back (Answer)

Very slow to very rapid

#10

Front (Question)

Distinguishing the speed of motion:

Back (Answer)

• Slow (cree

#11

Front (Question)

What factors make up the criteria for the classification scheme or mass movements?

Back (Answer)

• Nature of the mixture of solids (rock, debris, or earth materials) • Type of motion (fall, slide or flow) • Velocity of motion (avalanche, flow, or creep)

#12

Front (Question)

Creep

Back (Answer)

Is slow and only detected by dislocation or bending of features at the surface

#13

Front (Question)

Debris Avalanches:

Back (Answer)

Are very rapid flows of rock, regolith, vegetation and/or sometimes ice

#14

Front (Question)

Flow

Back (Answer)

Are the continuous movements of rock, regolith, or both which behaves like a high viscosity liquid. Flow occurs on different scales

#15

Front (Question)

Rock creep:

Back (Answer)

Is extremely slow to slow (slow flows)

#16

Front (Question)

Debris/earth creep:

Back (Answer)

Is extremely slow to slow

#17

Front (Question)

Debris/earth flow:

Back (Answer)

Is very rapid

#18

Front (Question)

Debris avalanche (rock and regolith):

Back (Answer)

Is very rapid to extremely rapid

#19

Front (Question)

When are rock falls common?

Back (Answer)

They are common where rock is highly jointed and on a steep slope

#20

Front (Question)

Talus

Back (Answer)

Is the loose material that piles up at the base of steep slopes. Lack of vegetation/soil on talus indicates that material is actively accumulating

#21

Front (Question)

Planar slides:

Back (Answer)

Move downslope in contact with a surface of rupture, typically along bedding planes, foliation, or joint planes oriented parallel to the slope

#22

Front (Question)

Slump:

Back (Answer)

Is the curved rotational slide surfaces that are scoop shaped and usually form in regolith, poorly consolidated, or weak rock where bedding/joints do not influence failure

#23

Front (Question)

What forces AFFECT slope stability?

Back (Answer)

• Gravity force • Friction • Cohesion

#24

Front (Question)

Gravity force:

Back (Answer)

In order for motion to happen, the gravity force parallel to the surface must be greater than the resisting strength