Why do plateaus have flat tops?
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Answer: Erosion removes peaks evenly
Erosion removes peaks evenly ✓ — Correct! Plateaus form when elevated land has resistant horizontal rock layers. Erosion removes softer overlying material evenly, leaving flat tops. Or tectonic uplift raises formerly flat areas (like the Tibetan Plateau). The flat top represents either erosion-resistant strata or uplifted plain. Steep edges form from continued erosion!
Lava flows create flatness — Wrong. Some plateaus (Deccan) formed from flood basalt flows, but most form from resistant horizontal rock or uplifted plains.
Ancient sea floor uplifted — Wrong. Some plateaus are uplifted seafloor, but flatness comes from either horizontal rock strata resisting erosion or uplift of formerly flat areas.