Sedimentary Rocks 1

Sedimentary cover

A thin veneer of sediment that caps igneous and metamorphic bedrock on Earth.

Sedimentary rocks

Rocks formed by the deposition and consolidation of minerals and organic materials or from the precipitation of minerals from solutions.

Clastic sedimentary rocks

Rocks made of loose rock fragments (clasts) that have been cemented together.

Biochemical sedimentary rocks

Rocks formed by the cementation of shells from organisms.

Organic sedimentary rocks

Rocks consisting of carbon-rich remains of once living organisms.

Chemical sedimentary rocks

Rocks formed by minerals crystallizing directly from water.

Weathering

The process of breaking down solid rock into smaller particles.

Physical (mechanical) weathering

Weathering that breaks rocks into clasts and fragments of varying sizes.

Chemical weathering

Weathering that alters the mineral composition of rocks through chemical reactions.

Erosion

The process of transporting weathered material away from its source by agents like water, ice, air, and gravity.

Transportation

The dispersal of weathered material by wind, water, and ice.

Deposition

The process where sediment settles out of the transporting medium when its kinetic energy decreases.

Lithification

The process of transforming loose sediment into solid rock.

Sorting

The degree of uniformity of grain size in sediment.

Maturity

A measure of the degree of processing of sediment, assessing textural and mineral maturity.

Hydrolysis

A chemical weathering process that breaks down silicate minerals by reacting with water.

Oxidation

A type of chemical weathering involving the loss of electrons, often seen in iron-bearing minerals.

Dissolution

A chemical weathering process where minerals dissolve in water, affecting carbonate rocks.

Frost wedging

A type of physical weathering that occurs when water freezes in cracks and expands, causing rock breakage.

Root wedging

A process where growing roots exert pressure on rocks, widening cracks and breaking them apart.