surface processes mass wasting- w c j c（表面处理质量浪费c - w c j）.docVIP

Surface Processes: Mass Wasting Mass Wasting can be defined as: “the movement of earth materials down slope primarily under the influence of gravity.” I. Characteristics and examples: Steep slopes are especially vulnerable due to the high gradient. All forms of mass wasting cause the deaths of many people around the world, and billions of dollars of damage every year. Houses built near the edge or out over a cliff can be destroyed when the cliff collapses. A ditch dug in a hillside for irrigation can cause the hillside to slide downhill. Springtime snow-melts can cause soils to saturat