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Questions and Answers
What process is defined as the weight from the layers of sediment forcing out fluids and decreasing the space between grains?
What process is defined as the weight from the layers of sediment forcing out fluids and decreasing the space between grains?
What is the process when minerals dissolved in water crystallize between sediment grains?
What is the process when minerals dissolved in water crystallize between sediment grains?
What are clasts?
What are clasts?
Broken pieces of minerals or rock fragments.
What are two ways that existing rock material can be transported to a new location?
What are two ways that existing rock material can be transported to a new location?
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What is the difference between compaction and cementation?
What is the difference between compaction and cementation?
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Which type of sedimentary rock would have greater resistance to breaking down: one that formed by compaction only, or one that formed by both cementation and compaction? Explain.
Which type of sedimentary rock would have greater resistance to breaking down: one that formed by compaction only, or one that formed by both cementation and compaction? Explain.
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In which way are both igneous and sedimentary rocks classified?
In which way are both igneous and sedimentary rocks classified?
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Describe two ways in which sedimentary rocks can form.
Describe two ways in which sedimentary rocks can form.
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Why can't sediment size alone be used to identify a sedimentary rock environment?
Why can't sediment size alone be used to identify a sedimentary rock environment?
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What would be a characteristic of a nonclastic sedimentary rock?
What would be a characteristic of a nonclastic sedimentary rock?
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How do chemical rocks form?
How do chemical rocks form?
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What can happen to a rock when water flows through cracks or holes in the rock?
What can happen to a rock when water flows through cracks or holes in the rock?
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How do chemical and biochemical sedimentary rocks form?
How do chemical and biochemical sedimentary rocks form?
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What is the most common biochemical sedimentary rock?
What is the most common biochemical sedimentary rock?
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What happens to the sand in the valley if more sand is deposited on top of it?
What happens to the sand in the valley if more sand is deposited on top of it?
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Which is a clastic rock?
Which is a clastic rock?
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Coal is an example of a type of sedimentary rock called a(n) ___________________.
Coal is an example of a type of sedimentary rock called a(n) ___________________.
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What process squeezes fluids from between individual grains?
What process squeezes fluids from between individual grains?
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What is the term for broken pieces of rock?
What is the term for broken pieces of rock?
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What process is occurring when minerals such as calcite or quartz crystallize between grains of clastic rock?
What process is occurring when minerals such as calcite or quartz crystallize between grains of clastic rock?
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What is the general term for a rock fragment present in a sedimentary rock?
What is the general term for a rock fragment present in a sedimentary rock?
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Which characteristics are used to classify a sedimentary rock such as sandstone?
Which characteristics are used to classify a sedimentary rock such as sandstone?
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List the terms below in the correct order to describe the formation of clastic sedimentary rocks.
List the terms below in the correct order to describe the formation of clastic sedimentary rocks.
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Distinguish among clastic, chemical, and biochemical sedimentary rock.
Distinguish among clastic, chemical, and biochemical sedimentary rock.
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Study Notes
Sedimentary Rocks Overview
- Formed through processes such as weathering, erosion, transportation, deposition, compaction, cementation, and crystallization.
- Classified into three main types: clastic, chemical, and biochemical.
Key Processes
- Compaction: Weight of overlying sediment forces out fluids, decreasing space between grains.
- Cementation: Minerals dissolved in water crystallize between sediment grains, binding them together.
- Formation of Clastic Rocks: Involves erosion, transportation, deposition, and cementation of rock fragments.
Types of Sedimentary Rocks
- Clastic: Composed of broken pieces of minerals and rock fragments.
- Chemical: Formed when minerals crystallize directly from water.
- Biochemical: Originates from processes involving organisms, often containing their remains (e.g., coal, limestone).
Rock Characteristics
- Clasts: Broken pieces of minerals or rock fragments; indicative of the source rock's properties.
- Nonclastic rocks: More uniform, made from materials that do not consist of fragments.
- Chemical Rocks: Typically consist of one mineral due to crystallization from saturated water.
Identifying Rocks
- Limestone can form as a chemical rock from calcite or as a biochemical rock from fossil remains.
- To identify limestone: add hydrochloric acid; a fizz indicates the presence of calcite.
Formation Conditions
- Depositional environments can influence sediment size and shape, which may vary in the same environment.
- Coal, a biochemical rock, contains no minerals; made of non-crystalline carbon.
Properties of Specific Rocks
- Conglomerate vs. Breccia: Both are clastic but differ in clast shape; conglomerate has rounded clasts, while breccia has angular ones.
- Common Biochemical Rock: Limestone is the most prevalent in this category.
Miscellaneous Facts
- Water can dissolve minerals in rocks, contributing to seawater salinity as dissolved minerals are carried to the ocean.
- Distinguishing textures and grain sizes of sedimentary rocks can reveal transportation distance and environmental history.
Processes Illustrated in Diagrams
- Cementation and crystallization are critical stages in the formation of sedimentary rocks, often visible in visual learning materials.
Studying That Suits You
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Description
Test your knowledge of sedimentary rocks with these flashcards covering key terms such as compaction, cementation, and clastic rocks. Each term is defined to help reinforce your understanding of the concepts covered in Chapter 4.