Which of the following desert landforms is associated with wind deposition?

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks which desert landform is formed by wind deposition, meaning the wind drops (deposits) sand, not removes it.

Step 2: Explain the concept Wind shapes deserts in three main ways:

• Deflation: wind removes loose material, leaving hollows or stony surfaces.
• Abrasion: wind-blown sand wears away rock surfaces.
• Deposition: wind drops sand when it loses energy, forming dunes.

Step 3: Examine each option

• A. Butte: a small, flat-topped, steep-sided hill left standing after surrounding rock is eroded away. It is a landform of erosion, not deposition.
• B. Yardang: a streamlined ridge of rock carved by wind abrasion, so it is also erosional.
• C. Wadi: a dry river valley that carries water only after rare heavy rain. It is formed by water action, not wind.
• D. Barchan: a crescent-shaped sand dune with its horns pointing downwind. It forms where sand supply is limited and wind blows from a fairly constant direction. It is built by wind deposition.

Step 4: Answer The barchan is the only landform made by wind deposition, so the answer is D.

Tip: Think "Barchan = Built up by wind." Sand dunes (barchan, seif or longitudinal dunes, and transverse dunes) are the depositional features. Yardangs, zeugens, mushroom rocks, and buttes are erosional.