Learn how wind moves sand to make special sand hills called dunes and barchans, explained simply for young kids.
Hi there! Let's learn about how wind makes cool sand hills called dunes and barchans.
Imagine when you blow on a pile of sand. Your breath can move the tiny grains of sand from one place to another. Wind works the same way but on a much larger scale!
When the wind blows strongly over a sandy area, it lifts tiny grains of sand into the air and carries them with it. Then, when the wind slows down, it drops those grains on the ground. Over time, this moving and dropping of sand makes hills called dunes.
One special type of sand hill is called a barchan. These are shaped like crescents or moons. They form when wind blows mostly from one direction and there isn't too much sand—just enough to make these curved hills.
So, wind acts like nature's helper, moving sand around and shaping beautiful sand hills we see in deserts and beaches!