6.3 Sedimentary Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Rocks formed from already existing rock that are weathered, eroded, compacted, and cemented together.

Weathering

The process of breaking apart existing rock by water, wind, ice, and changes in temperature.

Erosion

The process by which sediments are carried away by wind, water, or ice.

Compaction

The processes that squeeze sediments together to form sedimentary rock.

Clastic Sedimentary Rock

A type of sedimentary rock made from fragments of other rocks.

Organic Sedimentary Rock

Rocks that typically include limestone and coal, which form from or include organic material.

Chemical Sedimentary Rock

Sedimentary rock formed from the precipitation of minerals from water.

Rock Cycle

The continuous process by which rocks are created, altered, destroyed, and reformed.

Conglomerate

A type of clastic sedimentary rock composed of rounded fragments.

Shale

A fine-grained sedimentary rock formed from compacted mud or clay.

Limestone

A sedimentary rock primarily made of calcium carbonate, often from organisms that lived in water.

Bituminous Coal

A type of organic sedimentary rock formed from ancient compressed plant materials.

Cementation

The process where dissolved minerals crystallize and glue sediment grains together, forming solid rock.

Deposition

The process by which sediments are settled and accumulated in a new location.