What has moved the most sediment through geologic time?

Question

Water, Ice, or Wind

Answer 1

Wind can blow loose sand and dust about but first the weather has to break down rock to form the dust and sand and that takes years.

Ice can break up rock if it forms and thaws regularly but then would not do much to carry it away. Glaciers scour out rock but travel very slowly so would take years and years to carry sediment a few metres.

Water on the other hand not only carves out sediment but moves sediment rapidly. Rain water flows down picking up dust and sand until it reached a stream which then carries it to the river. Both stream and river carve out more sediment on their travels. The sediment then reaches the sea and is moved around by wave action. Virtually all the surface geology you see on the planet is caused by weathering and the action of rain and water flow. Just look at the volume of rock that water carved away to create the Grand Canyon and then multiply that for every valley, Gorge and canyon on earth!

Water wins hands down!

Answer 2

I think it might be wind and here is why: Just imagine how much windstorms carry sands across the Sahara. This happens before your eyes -- and on a continuous basis. Also add all the beaches -- where similar processes occur.

Water also has a large impact (just look at the GrandCanyon!). However, I think wind just might have an even larger global effect.

Answer 3

Water, hands down.

In all it's forms--solid, liquid and even as a gas (ice, water and deepsea vents/boiling pools/etc)

Water is life on this planet.
Water allows us to live and shapes our world.
So it has been...so shall it be.

Answer 4

Water....All geomorphologists agree

Answer 5

Tectonic forces, it moves entire land masses.