The slow downhill movement of weathered rock material.

The slow downhill movement of weathered rock material.

• A. Creep
• B. Landslide
• C. Slump
• D. Mass Wasting

Answer: (A)

This item is about slow, gravity-driven movement of weathered material downslope. The process described is creep, which happens so gradually that you can’t notice it day to day, but over many years the soil and fine rock particles slowly creep downhill. It’s driven by cycles such as freezing and thawing, moisture changes, and the weight of overlying material, causing particles to deform and move in a very slow, almost imperceptible flow. The signs are small but telling—trees and fence posts leaning, curved tree trunks, and other insidious ground shifts. Landslides, by contrast, are rapid, abrupt movements of rock and soil down a slope, often following heavy rain or earthquakes. A slump is a type of mass wasting where a coherent block slides along a curved surface, producing a noticeable rotation. Mass wasting is the broad umbrella term for all gravity-driven downslope movement, including creep and these more sudden forms. Because the question emphasizes slow movement, creep is the best fit.

This item is about slow, gravity-driven movement of weathered material downslope. The process described is creep, which happens so gradually that you can’t notice it day to day, but over many years the soil and fine rock particles slowly creep downhill. It’s driven by cycles such as freezing and thawing, moisture changes, and the weight of overlying material, causing particles to deform and move in a very slow, almost imperceptible flow. The signs are small but telling—trees and fence posts leaning, curved tree trunks, and other insidious ground shifts.

Landslides, by contrast, are rapid, abrupt movements of rock and soil down a slope, often following heavy rain or earthquakes. A slump is a type of mass wasting where a coherent block slides along a curved surface, producing a noticeable rotation. Mass wasting is the broad umbrella term for all gravity-driven downslope movement, including creep and these more sudden forms. Because the question emphasizes slow movement, creep is the best fit.