Final answer:
Unconsolidated sediment typically has greater porosity than the lithified rock it will eventually form.
Step-by-step explanation:
Unconsolidated sediment typically has greater porosity than the lithified rock it will eventually form. When sediments are deposited, they have empty spaces between them called pores. Compaction reduces porosity by bringing the grains closer together, and cementation occurs during compaction when water is squeezed out of the pore spaces and minerals precipitate, acting as glue to hold the sediment together.