Define deposition.

Deposition is the process where a gas changes directly into a solid, or where moving agents drop the materials they carry.

1. Chemistry/physics meaning: Deposition is the reverse of sublimation. A gas turns straight into a solid without becoming liquid. Example: Frost forms when water vapor in cold air deposits as ice crystals on leaves or windows.
2. Geography meaning: Deposition is when rivers, wind, glaciers, or waves drop sediments they carry because energy decreases. Over time, this builds landforms like deltas, sand dunes, and moraines.

Two senses at a glance

Both senses show a common idea: material moves from a dispersed state to a fixed place. In the lab, we control temperature and pressure to create thin solid films by vapor deposition. In nature, slopes, speed, and barriers control where sediments settle.