Which processes contribute to the formation of sedimentary rocks?

The formation of sedimentary rocks is primarily attributed to the processes of erosion, sediment deposition, and lithification. Erosion involves the breakdown of existing rocks into smaller particles, which are then transported by wind, water, or ice. This transportation leads to sediment deposition, where these particles settle in various environments like riverbeds, lakes, or ocean floors.

After deposition, sediment undergoes lithification, a process that transforms loose sediment into solid rock. Lithification includes compaction, where the weight of overlying materials compresses the sediment grains together, and cementation, where minerals precipitate from water and fill the spaces between the sediment particles, effectively binding them together.

This combination of weathering, transport, deposition, and lithification is essential for creating sedimentary rocks, distinguishing it from the processes listed in the other choices, which pertain more to igneous or metamorphic rock formation or geological changes that do not primarily contribute to sedimentary rock development.