Eli5 Where does the dirt come from?

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When looking at a geological timescale, typically ‘the deeper you dig, the older stuff gets’, right?
So, where does this buildup of new sediment come from?
I understand we’re talking about very large timeframes here, but I still dont really get it.

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26 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

It’s simple really.
I’ll try to explain it to a five year old.

Have you ever left and forgotten a toy in the yard where grass grows? The grass gets tall and someone mows the lawn, maybe a couple of times before you go play in the same place.

You find that toy in the same spot where you left it, but now it is under the grass clippings instead of right on top, where you saw it last. Imagine this happening for years. The grass clippings get eaten by bugs and worms, and now that’s all dirt. No one moved the toy, but now it’s underneath.

This all happens even if no one is cutting the grass, because the plants will still shed leaves and eventually die and fall over becoming more dirt.

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