A rocky hill cracks after water settles and freezes. Several trees on the hill tilt due to the very slow downhill movement of rock and soil. The movement occurs over a long distance.

Question

Which type of mass movement does this describe?

creep
landslide
mudflow
slump

Answer 1

The type of mass movement being described is creep. Creep is characterized by the very slow, continuous downslope movement of soil and rock, often influenced by factors such as freezing and thawing which can cause soil particles to shift gradually over time. The tilting of trees further indicates that this is a slow process typical of creep.