Match List I with List II

Set A	Set B
[i] Splash erosion	[a] Impact of falling raindrops
[ii] Saltation	[b] Wind erosion
[iii] Erosivity	[c] Rainfall factor
[iv] Dispersion ratio	[d] Impact force required to detach soil particles

Correct option is B

The correct answer is (B) i-a, ii-b, iii-c, iv-d

Explanation:
• Splash erosion (i-a): This is the first stage of water erosion caused by the direct impact of raindrops on the soil surface, which detaches soil particles and destroys soil structure.
• Saltation (ii-b): This is a primary mechanism of wind erosion (and sometimes water erosion) where medium-sized particles (0.1 to 0.5 mm) bounce along the surface.
• Erosivity (iii-c): This refers to the potential of rainfall to cause erosion. In the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE), it is represented by the 'R' factor.
• Dispersion ratio (iv-d): This is an index of soil erodibility (the 'K' factor). It measures how easily soil particles detach and disperse; a higher ratio means the soil is more susceptible to erosion.

Information Booster:
• Wind erosion stages: Saltation ($50-75\%$), Surface Creep ($5-25\%$), and Suspension ($3-15\%$).
• Water erosion stages: Splash $\rightarrow$ Sheet $\rightarrow$ Rill $\rightarrow$ Gully.
• Soil erodibility depends on soil texture, structure, and organic matter.

Additional Knowledge:
• Sheet erosion is often called "silent theft" because it removes a uniform thin layer of topsoil and is often unnoticed by farmers until productivity drops.
• Contour bunding and cover crops are major strategies to reduce both erosivity impact and erodibility.