Geography & History Notes | KCSE, NECTA, ZIMSEC & GCSE

  Mass wasting , also known as slope movement or mass movement, is the geomorphic process by which soil, sand, regolith, and rock move down slope typically as a mass , largely under the force of gravity, but frequently affected by water and water content as in submarine environments and mudslides. The following are physical factors that enhance the movement of materials down the slope in other words mass wasting Nature of materials , Heavy and large materials move faster on a slope as they are more likely to be overcome by gravity thinly bedded layers have a tendency to move faster. Angle of slope, the steeper the slope, the faster the rate of movement  also when rocks are dipping steeply, movement is faster. Climatic factors (amount of water), the more saturated the material is the more likely it is to move as water adds weight and act as lubricants also alternate freezing and thawing encourages movement. Bare surfaces are more likely to experi...

Mass wasting is down slope movement of rock materials due to influence of gravity. When such movement occurs after the materials have been lubricated by rain water from melting snow it is refers to as MASS MOVEMENT. The force involved in this process is gravity but it is only able to exert its influence when the materials overcome their initial resistance to movement. This initials resistance is caused by the friction between the materials and underlying rock mass. Water plays an important role in helping the materials to overcome this resistance. Most of the movements are slow amounting to few centimeters per year but sometimes they can be sudden and rapid. The nature and speed of movement in mass wasting are influenced by the following 7 factors; The nature and weight of materials. if the layer of the weathered rock is very deep or thinly bedded, it will result in rapid mass wasting. Thin beds increase the tendency of movement as there are more bedding planes over which movement can ...