Sediment is a naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of
weathering and
erosion, and is subsequently
transported by the action of wind, water, or ice, and/or by the force of
gravity acting on the particle itself.
Sediments are most often transported by water (
fluvial processes), wind (
aeolian processes) and
glaciers. Beach sands and
river channel deposits are examples of fluvial transport and deposition, though sediment also often settles out of slow-moving or standing water in lakes and ocean dunes and
loess are examples of aeolian transport and deposition.
Glacial moraine deposits and
till are ice-transported sediments.