* Earthquakes: These can happen in seconds.
* Volcanic eruptions: These can also happen quickly, ranging from minutes to hours.
* Landslides: These can occur in a matter of seconds or minutes.
However, these are considered events rather than processes. If you're looking for a geological process that happens over a shorter period, it's still hard to pick one definitively. Here are some contenders:
* Weathering: The breaking down of rocks by wind, water, and ice. This happens constantly, with some types of weathering occurring faster than others.
* Erosion: The movement of weathered material by wind, water, or ice. This also happens constantly, but the rate of erosion can vary greatly.
* Deposition: The settling of eroded material in a new location. This can happen relatively quickly, especially in areas with active sedimentation.
Ultimately, it depends on how you define "short" and "process." There's no single geological process that happens in the shortest time, as many processes occur on different timescales.
