🏜️ How do sand dunes form?

🌬️ Sand dunes form when the wind blows sand into piles! Just like when you play with sand at the beach, the wind picks up tiny grains of sand and drops them in one place. Over time, these piles grow bigger and bigger, making sand dunes!

🏝️ Some dunes are small, and some are as tall as houses! They can even move slowly when the wind keeps blowing.

🏜️ Sand dunes are hills of sand created by wind! Here’s how it works:

• 🌪️ Wind picks up sand: Strong winds lift tiny grains of sand from the ground.
• 🏖️ Sand piles up: When the wind slows down, it drops the sand, forming small mounds.
• ⏳ Dunes grow: Over time, more sand builds up, making the dunes bigger and sometimes changing their shape!

Some dunes even 'walk' because the wind keeps moving the sand little by little!

How Sand Dunes Form: The Science Behind It

🌍 Sand dunes are natural landforms shaped by wind, sand, and gravity. Here’s a detailed explanation:

1. Sand Source: Dunes form in deserts or near beaches where there’s loose sand.
2. Wind Action: Wind carries sand grains (a process called saltation). Stronger winds move larger amounts.
3. Obstacle & Accumulation: When wind hits an obstacle (like a rock or plant), it slows down and drops sand, starting a dune.
4. Dune Shapes: Depending on wind direction, dunes can be crescent-shaped (barchans), linear, or star-shaped!

💨 Over decades, dunes can migrate as wind keeps reshaping them.