Wind Erosion

This activity demonstrates how wind erosion moves sediments and how variables such as soil moisture, particle size, and protective coverings affect the rate and extent of erosion. A hair dryer simulates wind blowing across different soil conditions.

1. Put on safety goggles before beginning the activity.
2. Place dry sand in one pan (Pan A), wet sand in another (Pan B), and sand mixed with gravel in a third (Pan C).
3. Hold a hair dryer 10 cm from Pan A at a 45° angle and blow for 30 seconds. Record observations.
4. Repeat with the dryer at a 10° angle for 30 seconds, keeping the same distance. Record results.
5. Repeat the process with Pans B and C.
6. Smooth the sand in each pan. Position the dryer 10 cm away at 45° and blow for 1 minute. Record observations for each pan.
7. Repeat at a 10° angle with the dryer held 20 cm away. Record results.
8. Build a small sand pile in Pan A, measure its height, and blow with the hair dryer for 30 seconds. Record the new height.
9. Rebuild the sand pile and add materials (sticks, foil, sponge, etc.) to slow erosion. Record what you used, then repeat the blowing test.
10. Repeat the sand pile test with wet sand in Pan B.

wind erosion classroom demo - Janne Tamblyn Lee:

📄 WIND EROSION LAB - SCIENCE IN THE PARK: GEOLOGY: https://jamesriverpark.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Wind-Erosion-Lab.pdf

• Test erosion with different grain sizes (fine sand, coarse sand, or small pebbles).
• Try using natural wind outdoors instead of a hair dryer for comparison.
• Experiment with adding vegetation (grass clippings, leaves, or small plants) to simulate how plants reduce erosion.

• Safety goggles must be worn at all times.
• Keep hands and hair away from the hair dryer while in use.
• Do not point the hair dryer at people.
• Clean up spilled sand promptly to avoid slipping hazards.

• How did wet sand compare to dry sand in resisting erosion? (Wet sand held together better, resisting wind movement.)
• What effect did gravel have on erosion? (Gravel reduced the amount of sand movement because it added weight and stability.)
• Was the erosion in this experiment more like abrasion or deflation? Why? (It modeled deflation, because wind removed finer particles from the surface.)
• How did changing the force (distance of the dryer) affect erosion? (Closer distances caused more movement; greater distances reduced the effect.)
• How did the angle of wind affect the sand movement? (Lower angles tended to push particles farther, while steeper angles displaced them upward.)
• In which climate—wet or dry—would wind erosion be more significant? (Dry climates, because loose, dry particles are more easily moved by wind.)