Chapter 12, Problem 2GST

To determine

The difference between the agents of erosion and mass movement.

Answer to Problem 2GST

The mass movement is different from the other erosional processes such as by the streams, glaciers, or wind in a way that the former does not require any transporting medium to move the materials from one location to another.

Explanation of Solution

The mass movement is the process of sudden transfer of large amount of materials downslope, under the direct influence of the gravity.

The mass movement includes the downslope movement of materials such as rock debris, regolith, water, soil, and mud. All the movements taking place under the mass movement processes could be collectively termed as landslides, which is a popular yet non-technical term. It may include the rock fall, debris flow, mudflow, avalanches, slump, soil creep, and solifluction.

The mass movement process erodes the materials from one place and deposits them in some other place. However, it is quite different from the erosional processes which occur by the stream, glacier, or wind. The mass movement is distinct in the sense that it does not need any medium such as ice, water, or wind to transport the materials.