Question map
Which one of the following landforms is/are formed by wind erosion ?
Explanation
Landforms are shaped by various agents of erosion including wind, water, and ice. A Zeugen is a table-shaped landform formed by wind erosion (abrasion) in arid regions where layers of hard and soft rocks are horizontally arranged [1]. The wind wears away the softer layers, leaving the harder rock standing as ridges. In contrast, a Cirque is a bowl-shaped depression formed by glacial erosion, typically found at the heads of glacial valleys [3]. A Stack is a coastal landform formed by marine erosion, where hydraulic action and abrasion isolate a pillar of rock from the mainland. While wind (Aeolian) processes involve deflation and abrasion to create features like blowouts and dunes [1], the specific landform among the options exclusively attributed to wind erosion is the Zeugen. Therefore, option 3 is the correct choice.
Sources
- [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 17: Major Landforms and Cycle of Erosion > Wind Eroded Arid Landforms > p. 235
- [2] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 6: Landforms and their Evolution > Cirque > p. 54
- [3] https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/glacial-landforms.htm