Geomorphic Processes

The chapter says gradation is the wearing down of relief through erosion, and in the exogenic processes the related set includes erosion and deposition. Among the options, deposition is the gradational process.

Hydration is a chemical weathering process in which water combines with minerals. The chapter’s standard example is the effect on salts.

The chapter states that debris avalanches occur frequently in the Himalayas and are part of rapid flow type mass movements. So the correct category is rapid flow mass movements.

Weathering breaks rocks into smaller fragments and creates regolith and soils. This makes minerals and nutrients available for plants. Weathered material also supports the growth of different kinds of vegetation, and forests depend on the depth of weathering mantles. Since vegetation and forests are the base of ecosystems, weathering indirectly supports a wide variety of living organisms, which leads to biodiversity.

The chapter says the relatively rapid and perceptible mass movements are called landslides. These include types such as slump, debris slide, debris fall, rockslide and rock fall.

The various mobile and mighty exogenic geomorphic agents are running water, groundwater, glaciers, wind, waves and currents. Their prime job is to remove, transport and deposit earth materials. They carry material from higher to lower levels and shape the earth’s surface by erosion and deposition.