This document discusses different types of mass movement caused by gravity, including rapid movements like rock falls, landslides, and mudflows, as well as slower creep. It provides examples of each type of movement and notes that they are all influenced by slope and gravity. The document suggests elements that can increase erosion and ways erosion can potentially be prevented. Images illustrate examples of different mass movements.

1. The Effect of Gravity on Erosion
and Deposition
Jessica Kahnk
Colorado Christian University

2. Read Section 4 Chapter 3
• Mass movement- movement of any material
downslope
– Several types- some are rapid moving and others
slow:
• Rock Falls (rapid)
• Landslides (rapid)
• Mudflows (rapid)
• Creep (slow)

3. Rock Falls
Occurs when loose rocks
fall down a steep slope.
• Where else have you
seen this occur?
1987 rockfall near Elephant Rock at
west end of Yosemite Valley (G. Hayes)
• [Man seated beneath rock formation at the Upper Yosemite Fall, Yosemite National Park, Calif.].
• Watkins, Carleton E., 1829-1916, photographer. CREATED/PUBLISHED [ca. 1860]

4. Landslides
• The sudden and rapid
movement of a large
amount of material
downslope.
title: 10. Area of landslide on eastern section of Foothills Parkway looking NE
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park Roads & Bridges, Foothills Parkway,
From Chilowee to Walland & from Cosby to I-40, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, TN
Creator(s): Haas, David, creator
Date Created/Published: 1996
ROCKFALL : Boulders at the base of the cliff broke off and fell from the rocks forming the cliff.
Griggs, Gary B. and Gilchrist, John A., 1983.
Geologic Hazards, Resources and Environmental Planning (second edition).
Wadsworth Publishing Company, Belmont, California, USA
• Where else have you seen this occur?

5. Mudflow
• The rapid movement of
A large mass of mud.
Where else have you
Seen this occur?
What is most likely the cause?
Description: Mailboxes sticking out of a mudflow
Source: First upload from [1] 4 November 2005 in English Wikipedia
by Mdhowe

6. Creep
• The extremely slow movement of material
downslope.
U.S. Geological Survey diagram
Photo (c) Andrew Alden, licensed to About.com (fair use policy)

7. What is the common link?
• What do all these have in common?
• Rock Falls (rapid)
• Landslides (rapid)
• Mudflows (rapid)
• Creep (slow)
• Slope
• What is acting upon the angle? Gravity
• What are some elements that we can enduce
to speed up the erosion process?
• Can we do anything to prevent erosion?

8. Works Cited
Holt, Rinehart & Winston. Earth’s Changing Surface. 2005.
In class conclusion
http://www.science-class.net/Graphic_Organizers/GO_erosion_consequence.pdf
Click on the site below and take quiz.
Repeat until scoring 100% then print score and turn in next day
http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0078617529/student_view0/chapter3/section1/
self-check_quiz-eng_.html