Sedimentation

Imagine you have a jar filled with different things like sand, water, and rocks. If you shake the jar, all the things will mix and move around. But if you leave the jar alone for a while, you will notice that the sand and rocks will start to sink to the bottom while the water stays on top.

This process is called sedimentation.

Basically, sedimentation is when solid materials (like sand and rocks) settle at the bottom of a liquid (like water) because they are heavier than the liquid. This happens because of gravity, which pulls everything downwards.

In nature, sedimentation happens all the time in bodies of water like rivers and oceans. As water flows, it picks up different particles like sand and dirt. When the water slows down or stops, these particles start to sink to the bottom through sedimentation.

Sedimentation is also used in many industries like water treatment plants. By allowing water to sit still in a tank for some time, the solid particles in the water will settle to the bottom, allowing cleaner water to be collected from the top.

So, sedimentation is basically the process of solid things falling to the bottom of a liquid because of gravity.