The process of Earth's materials being carried by wind, water, or ice and settling out and being deposited is called what?

• A. Erosion
• B. Weathering
• C. Deposition
• D. Frost Wedging

Answer: (C)

Deposition is the process described here: materials that have been moved by wind, water, or ice settle out when the transporting medium loses enough energy or runs into obstacles, creating layers of sediment. This settling builds up deposits like sand in dunes, clay in river bottoms, or till in glacier outwash, and over long times can become sedimentary rocks. Erosion involves wearing away and moving material away from its original location, not the final settling. Weathering is the breakdown of rocks in place without transport, and frost wedging is a specific weathering process where water freezes in cracks and expands, breaking rocks apart rather than depositing material.