Which term best describes a surface covered with a pavement of coarse gravel formed by wind erosion?

Which term best describes a surface covered with a pavement of coarse gravel formed by wind erosion?

• A. Desert Pavement
• B. Glacier
• C. Soil Profile
• D. Carbon Sink

Answer: (A)

Wind-shaped surface features in deserts often form a pavement-like layer of coarse gravel when wind preferentially removes finer particles. This result—the desert pavement—occurs as deflation sweeps away sand and silt, leaving larger stones on the surface and sometimes cementing the layer with minerals. It's typical of arid environments and helps protect the ground from further erosion. The other terms don’t describe this feature: a glacier is ice that moves and shapes land; a soil profile is the vertical layering of soils; a carbon sink is a reservoir that stores carbon.

Wind-shaped surface features in deserts often form a pavement-like layer of coarse gravel when wind preferentially removes finer particles. This result—the desert pavement—occurs as deflation sweeps away sand and silt, leaving larger stones on the surface and sometimes cementing the layer with minerals. It's typical of arid environments and helps protect the ground from further erosion. The other terms don’t describe this feature: a glacier is ice that moves and shapes land; a soil profile is the vertical layering of soils; a carbon sink is a reservoir that stores carbon.