What is the angle of repose?

The angle of repose is defined as the maximum angle at which a pile of loose material can remain stable without sliding or collapsing. This concept is crucial in fields such as geotechnical engineering, construction, and surveying, as it helps predict the behavior of granular materials like sand, gravel, and soil when they are piled or stacked.

Understanding the angle of repose is essential for ensuring safety in construction and earthworks, as well as for assessing the stability of slopes and embankments. When materials are placed at angles greater than the angle of repose, gravity can cause them to yield and slide, leading to potential hazards.

The other options do not accurately describe the concept of the angle of repose. The angle measurement between magnetic and true north relates to magnetic declination. An arrangement in a matrix form refers to data organization or structure, and a method used for calculating area does not pertain to the physical characteristics of loose materials and their stability.