Wind
Wind is another agent of weathering and erosion. Have you ever seen a machine
called a sandblaster? It uses a powerful jet of air containing sand to clean building
surfaces. In a similar way, wind can carry bits of rock and sand that weather rock
surfaces. Wind also moves sediment from place to place. If the wind blows hard, it
can erode a lot of sediment.
In dry areas like the American Southwest,
wind erosion has shaped some of the world’s
most unusual landforms—rocks that look like
tables, arches, or columns. Wind erodes dry
sediment more easily than it erodes particles of
soil or damp rock. And there is little plant life in
dry areas to hold sediment in place.
Wind erosion can also blow sand into
large mounds called dunes. Huge dunes as
much as 100m (about 325 ft.) high form in
some deserts. Many sandy beaches have
long lines of dunes on their land side. Beach
dunes are built by the constantly blowing
sea breezes. They help protect the land behind them during storms.
√How does wind erosion change landforms?