During ancient Mesopotamian canal construction, which risk increased due to poorly compacted canal walls?

💡 Explanation

When canal walls are not properly compacted, soil cohesion decreases because frictional forces between particles are reduced causing instability. This leads to structural collapse from slumping. Therefore, canal slumping increases, rather than silt deposition, salinity, or illness which would require different environmental mechanisms.

• Which limitation influenced Ibn al-Haytham’s understanding of light refraction through spherical lenses?
• Which risk increased in early Mesoamerican maize agriculture via genetic selection for larger kernels on the central cob?
• Which algebraic simplification enabled Islamic astronomers to improve astrolabe accuracy by reducing calculation steps?
• Which risk increased in ancient Sumerian irrigation canals when the Euphrates River experienced prolonged drought?
• During early steam engine development, which limitation caused atmospheric engines to be less efficient than later designs?
• Which optical outcome occurred in Alhazen's pinhole experiments used to investigate image formation?