What is the process called when sediment is compacted and cemented to form sedimentary rock?

The process of lithification refers to the transformation of loose sediment into solid sedimentary rock through the combination of compaction and cementation. During lithification, sediments that have been deposited undergo compaction as the weight of overlying material compresses them, reducing the space between the particles. Subsequently, minerals precipitate from groundwater and act as a cementing agent that binds the sediment particles together, further solidifying them into rock.

Cementation, while a key part of the lithification process, specifically describes the addition of minerals that fill the gaps between sediment particles, making them stick together. In contrast, weathering pertains to the breakdown of rocks and minerals at the Earth's surface, and metamorphism involves the alteration of rocks due to heat and pressure, not sediment compacting into rock. Hence, lithification is the overarching process that encompasses both compaction and cementation, resulting in the formation of sedimentary rocks.