Mass wasting may affect:
(1) snow and ice
(2) soil, sediment and mud
(3) rocks
(4) mixtures of the above, often with other debris
(5) other items with mass (garbage, animal sewage, etc)
Factors affecting mass wasting:
(1) material affected
(2) amount of material
(3) forces making the material move downslope
(4) forces resisting the movement of the material
Mass wasting may occur at various speeds, from very slow to very fast.
(1) The fastest forms are the fall or avalanche.
(2) Intermediated rates may be referred to as a slide or flow.
(3) The slowest form of movement is a creep.
(4) Mixtures of materials may show a complex movement.
