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2: Sediment Creation and Transport

  • Page ID
    20362
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    Sediment is formed by the weathering of existing rocks and minerals. This sediment can be eroded (transported from one location to another) in a variety of ways by moving fluids or under the direct influence of gravity. Sediment will eventually be deposited and might eventually be transformed into sedimentary rock.

    Learning Objectives
    • Explain the difference between physical and chemical weathering and provide examples of each.
    • Define the most important properties of fluids and sedimentary particles and use this knowledge to make predictions about how these properties will influence fluid motion and sediment transport.
    • Describe, identify, and explain the differences between the three types of fluid flow transport
    • Describe, identify, and explain the differences between the three types of sediment gravity flows

    • 2.1: Weathering
      Weathering is the physical and/or chemical breakdown of existing rocks and minerals.  It is influenced by temperature, the chemistry of air and water, organisms, and numerous other factors.
    • 2.2: Fluid Mechanics
      Sediment can be transported water, wind, and ice.  The different physical properties of these materials influence how they flow and transport sediment.  A few simple equations and graphs can tell us a great deal about fluids move and how particles respond.
    • 2.3: Fluid-Flow Transport
      There are three different ways that moving water can carry sediment.
    • 2.4: Gravity Mass Movements
      Gravity mass movements happen when sediment moves as a direct response to gravity.  Fluids can be present and even facilitate movement, but are not causing it.

    Chapter thumbnail shows a boulder split by frost wedging (Dominicus Johannes Bergsma via Wikimedia Commons; CC BY-SA 4.0).


    This page titled 2: Sediment Creation and Transport is shared under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Michael Rygel and Page Quinton.

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