Question

Read the steps that happen in a landslide. 1. A forest is cleared from a hillside. 2. Erosion happens to the hillside.3. ____ 4. The hillside has a mudslide. Which answer option goes third?

Answer 1

The third step in the landslide process, after a forest is cleared and erosion happens, is the saturation of the slope material with water. This step is crucial as it weakens the soil, making it prone to slide down as a mudslide.

Step-by-step explanation:

When reading the steps that happen in a landslide, we understand that:

1. A forest is cleared from a hillside.
2. Erosion happens to the hillside.
3. Saturation of the slope material with water.
4. The hillside has a mudslide.

After a forest is cleared from a hillside, and erosion takes place, the step that typically occurs third is the saturation of the slope material with water. This may happen due to factors such as heavy rainfall, snowmelt, or other events that introduce a large amount of water to the area. When the soil and materials become saturated, they weaken and are more likely to move, thus setting the stage for a mudslide. Tree roots, which are no longer present after deforestation, would normally help hold the soil together and prevent such saturation and subsequent movement.