Which one of the following graphs best represents the relationship between the mineral volume and the age of the salt pans, according to Study 1?

Salt pans are unusual geologic formations found in deserts. They are formed in endorheic basins, which are  lowland areas where water collects but has no outflow. Any  rain that falls or any water that is collected in an endorheic  basin remains there permanently, except for what is lost  through evaporation. This type of closed system often leads  to a high concentration of salt and other minerals.

Study 1

Four different salt pans around the world were studied. The volumes of mineral deposits were estimated from the surface areas of the salt pans and the average thickness of the deposits. The ages of the salt pans were also estimated based on the mineral volume. The estimates are shown in Table 1.

Transcribed Image Text:

Salt pan A B C D Table 1 Estimated mineral volume (km) 2,000,000 4,500,000 5,700,000 12,150,000 Estimated age (million years) 4.5 5.7 10.8 21.0