Which processes occurs when rocks, stones, sand, and mud are laid down on Earth's surface
The processes that occur when rocks, stones, sand, and mud are laid down on Earth's surface are collectively known as sedimentation. Here's an explanation of how sedimentation happens:
1. Weathering: Weathering is the initial process that breaks down rocks into smaller pieces. There are two main types of weathering: mechanical (physical) weathering and chemical weathering. Mechanical weathering involves the physical breakdown of rocks due to factors like temperature changes, frost action, and the actions of plants and animals. Chemical weathering involves the chemical alteration of rocks through processes like dissolution, oxidation, and hydrolysis.
2. Erosion: Erosion is the transportation of the weathered rock fragments, such as rocks, stones, sand, and mud, from their original location to another place. This transport can occur through various agents like wind, water (rivers, ocean currents), glaciers, or gravity. The force exerted by these agents picks up and carries the weathered material away, allowing for sedimentation to occur elsewhere.
3. Deposition: Once the weathered material is transported by the agents of erosion, it eventually settles down and gets deposited. Deposition generally happens when the transporting force weakens, such as when a river slows down or when wind speed decreases. As the energy of the transporting agent decreases, it can no longer sustain the movement of the sediment, resulting in the sediment settling to the ground.
4. Sedimentation: The accumulated sediment undergoes the process of sedimentation. The sediment layers build up over time and may undergo compaction and cementation, depending on the composition of the sediment. Compaction refers to the squeezing together of sediment particles under the weight of the overlying layers. Cementation occurs when minerals in the water between the sediment particles crystallize and bind them together, forming solid rock.
In summary, when rocks, stones, sand, and mud are laid down on Earth's surface, the processes of weathering, erosion, deposition, and sedimentation collectively work together to transform the original rock into sediment and then deposit and solidify it into new layers of rock over time.