At or near Earth's surface, sedimentary rocks form in two ways: by the accumulation of rock grains or by the formation of a solid from minerals dissolved in water. The fragments that go into making sedimentary rocks can be as big as boulders or as small as clay particles. Over long periods of time, the upper layers of debris compress the lower layers, squeezing out excess water or air trapped between the rock fragments. Under the pressure, individual fragments eventually dissolve and stick together, or the remaining fluid within the sediment brings in other substances that act as a cement, until the sediment has turned into rock. Scientists classify many sedimentary rocks based on the size of the particles that built the rock; mudstone and sandstone, for example, originally came from fine-grained mud and sand deposits that hardened over long time periods.

The term weathering refers to any environmental process physical, chemical, or biological that changes rocks that are exposed at Earth's surface. Scientists define physical weathering as any kind of mechanical process that breaks down surface rocks. For example, the cycle of alternating freezing and thawing of water in rock crevasses (or cracks) breaks apart rocks, because frozen water (ice) takes up more space than liquid water. Tree and plant roots also force themselves into and between rocks to break them into smaller fragments or grains. Strong winds, especially in desert environments, may pick up sand grains, driving them into exposed rocks and eroding them and leaving marks called ventifacts (from the Latin words for wind and face). In chemical weathering, weakly acidic raindrops falling on rocks and sediments cause chemical reactions, such as dissolving halite and other salts. In biological weathering, lichens, moss, and microorganisms release acidic compounds that accelerate the breakdown of rocks and grains on which they are growing.