sedimented

Sedimented is an adjective and the past participle of sediment, used to describe material that has settled from suspension or become deposited as a sediment. In water or air, particles heavier than the carrier medium gradually sediment due to gravity, forming a distinct layer at the bottom. The term also applies to chemical precipitation where dissolved substances react to form insoluble solids that settle out.

In geology and sedimentology, sedimented material refers to substances deposited by mechanical or chemical processes and later buried and potentially lithified into sedimentary rocks. The rate and extent of sedimentation depend on particle size, density, fluid viscosity, and flow conditions. Tools such as sedimentation tests and concepts like the sedimentation rate, often described by Stokes' law, are used to estimate how quickly particles settle.

In practical contexts such as water treatment, aquaculture, or laboratory analysis, samples are allowed to stand to allow solids to sediment, clarifying the liquid above. The term may describe a layer of settled material after settling or centrifugation.

Etymology: sedimented derives from sediment, from Latin sedimentum, from sedere to sit, reflecting material laid down over time.

Related terms: sediment, sedimentation, lithification, deposition, turbidity.