Sediments are loose Earth<span> materials such as </span>sand<span> that accumulate on the land surface, in river and </span>lake<span> beds, and on the </span>ocean<span> floor. Sediments form by </span>weathering<span> of rock. They then erode from the site of weathering and are transported by </span>wind<span>, </span>water<span>, </span>ice<span>, and </span>mass wasting<span>, all operating under the influence of gravity. Eventually sediment settles out and accumulates after transport; this process is known as deposition. Sedimentation is a general term for the processes of </span>erosion, transport, and deposition. Sedimentology is the study of sediments and sedimentation.<span> </span><span> </span>
