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PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY FINAL ESSAY QUESTIONS
Please select two (2) questions from the following and write a two-three-page essay on the topic.  Each essay must be a full two-three-pages, double-spaced, using a typewriter or word processor, with one-inch margins.  Include your name and date on each paper.  Final Essay Questions must be turned in on MONDAY, JUNE 6 - one week before the Final Exam. Each essay will be graded for accuracy and fullness of content, along with punctuation, grammar, spelling, and sentence and paragraph structure.  You may use your notes, textbook, or other reference sources. Be careful about plagiarism – copying will result in an F for the essays.  Include a reference or bibliography page with each essay.

EXPLAIN THE MECHANICS OF PHYSICAL WEATHERING.  WHAT TYPE OF MATERIAL IS MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO THIS TYPE OF WEATHERING? WHERE DOES THIS TYPE OF WEATHERING TAKE PLACE? WHAT EFFECTS DOES THIS WEATHERING TYPE HAVE IN TERMS OF ROCK STABILITY, LANDSLIDE OR DEBRIS FLOW CONDITIONS?  YOUR ESSAY SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE A DISCUSSION ON THE TIME FRAMES INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, AND IT’S GENERAL RELEVANCE TO WEATHERING OF ROCK MATERIALS IN GENERAL.

DESCRIBE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES.  INCLUDE IN YOUR DESCRIPTION THE TYPES AND SOURCES OF CONTAMINATION, OVERDRAWING AND ITS EFFECT ON THE WATER TABLE.  YOUR ESSAY SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE A DISCUSSION ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PHREATIC AND VADOSE ZONES.

DESCRIBE THE THREE PROCESSES BY WHICH WATER IN A STREAM/RIVER CAN TRANSPORT MATERIAL.  INCLUDE AN EXPLANATION OF EACH PROCESS (AND THE “SUBPROCESSES”).  YOUR ESSAY SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE A DISCUSSION ON DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STREAM CAPACITY AND STREAM COMPETENCE.

DESCRIBE THE VARIOUS TYPES OF MASS MOVEMENT.  INCLUDE IN YOUR ESSAY A DISCUSSION REGARDING MATERIALS INVOLVED, SPEED, SLOPE ANGLES, CLIMATIC FACTORS, ROCK STABILITY AND OTHER FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE DOWNSLOPE MOVEMENT OF ROCK BODIES AND SEDIMENT.  YOUR ESSAY SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE NOTABLE LANDSLIDES, MUDSLIDES, AS WELL AS A DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FINAL MOVEMENT.