The module discusses about depositional environment which is composed of physical, chemical, and

biological processes. Deposition is associated with the deposition of a particular type of sediment and,
and the rock types that will be formed after lithification. Continents are the starting place of sediment
deposition, it supplies the materials needed to create different types of environment. It starts from the
uplifted pre-existing rocks, it may be igneous, metamorphic or sedimentary. These rocks undergoes
weathering and creates clastic detritus and release ions into solution in surface and near-surface waters.
It is then eroded which allows the transport of the sediments grains and ions. Then it is lithified and
buried. There are two principal processes that controls weathering; chemical weathering and physical
weathering. During physical weathering rocks breaks apart without changing their chemical composition
which are the result of the earth’s moving processes and environment. Chemical weathering is often
caused by rain when it with the mineral grains in rocks to form new minerals, it breaks rocks and
minerals when comes in contact with the earth's atmosphere, water, and biological organisms and
changing its chemical properties in the processes. There are different types of depositional
environments, continental, and marine. In continental environments these are dominated by clastic
sedimentary rocks, largely because of their proximity to the source of the sediments. It is manily
grouped into 4 types the Alluvial, Aeolian, Fluvial, and Lacustrine environment. Alluvial deposition
environment the materials were deposited by moving water bodies such as rivers and streams. The
texture of the deposit depends on the energy of the water body. Fast-moving water deposits only coarse
material such as rocks and gravel. Aeolian environments are produced by wind activity where they’re
often found in deserts areas and coastal environments. They produce different kinds of structures like
dunes, ripple marks, cross beds etc. Fluvial environments are caused by the processes of moving water
like rivers and streams characterized as either a meandering stream system or a braided stream system.
In Lacustrine environment the water involved in the process is mainly from lakes where sediments are
sand, silt, and clay. Another main type of depositional environment is Transitional which are Deltaic,
Tidal, Lagoonal, Lake and Beach. In Deltaic the Silt deposition landform at the mouth of a river. Tidal
processes creates tidal flats fine-grained, ripple marks, cross-beds. Lagoonal A shallow body of water
separated from a larger body of water by barrier islands or reefs. Little transportation, creates lagoon
bottom environment. In Beach areas waves and longshore currents forms beaches, spits, and sandbars
with the common sediments of gravel and sand. Last is the marine that is divided in different areas.
Shallow water marine processes due to waves and tidal currents, creates shelves and slopes, lagoons
where common sediments, salt, clay and silt. Different depositional environments make the world more
diverse. They are important because they are part of the rock cycle that deals of how rocks change with
different processes and creates different sedimantary structures and environments.