Which term refers to all changes a sediment undergoes after its initial deposition and burial?

The term that describes all changes a sediment undergoes after its initial deposition and burial is diagenesis. This process includes various physical, chemical, and biological changes that sediments experience as they become sedimentary rocks. Diagenesis encompasses several phenomena, such as compaction (where the weight of overlying materials compresses sediments), cementation (where minerals precipitate from groundwater and fill the spaces between sediment grains), and lithification (the transformation of loose sediments into solid rock).

Metamorphism, on the other hand, refers to the process that sediments and rocks undergo when subjected to high temperatures and pressures, typically deep within the Earth or in tectonically active regions, which alters the mineralogical and structural characteristics but occurs after any diagenetic changes. Weathering involves the breakdown and alteration of rocks and minerals at the Earth's surface due to environmental factors and does not apply to sediments once they are buried. Compaction is a specific aspect of diagenesis, primarily referring to the physical compression of sediments but does not encompass the entire range of changes that occur post-deposition.