If water is the transport medium of sediment,the grain size of sedimentary deposits most closely indicates the ____________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The sediment grain size reflects the velocity of the water at the moment the sediment settled to the bottom. This is because larger and heavier particles require more energy to remain suspended in moving water and are therefore deposited first, followed by progressively smaller and lighter particles as velocity decreases. The grain size does not necessarily reflect the geographic extent of the weathering source rock at outcrop or the average velocity of the water from the time of erosion until deposition.

If Water Is the Transport Medium of Sediment,the Grain Size