Weathering and Erosion Quiz
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Questions and Answers

Which of the following sedimentary rocks is classified as a biochemical rock?

  • Coquina (correct)
  • Breccia
  • Sandstone
  • Conglomerate
  • Cross bedding indicates that sediment layers were deposited in a steady, uniform current.

    False

    What is the primary composition of siltstone?

    Quartz and clay

    Bedding features like __________ can be used to determine the flow direction of past currents.

    <p>cross bedding</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following sedimentary rocks with their primary features:

    <p>Sandstone = Ripple marks and cross-bedding Coal = Highly altered plant remains Conglomerate = Fragments of various rock types Fossiliferous Limestone = Abundant fossils in the matrix</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the most common feature of sedimentary rocks?

    <p>Bedding</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Graded bedding consists of layers where the particle size increases from bottom to top.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of graded bedding?

    <p>Particle sizes become finer towards the top.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of sedimentary rock forms from previously living organisms?

    <p>Biochemical Sedimentary Rocks</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Cross bedding forms from layers of sediment deposited horizontally.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of sedimentary rocks are primarily formed from the remains of once-living organisms?

    <p>Biochemical Sedimentary Rocks</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Sedimentary rocks are formed through the process of __________, which includes compaction and cementation.

    <p>lithification</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes cross-bedding?

    <p>A pattern of layers deposited at an angle to the main bedding</p> Signup and view all the answers

    As sediment is transported, individual pieces become __________ due to collisions.

    <p>rounded</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Clastic sedimentary rocks are primarily formed from the accumulation of mineral fragments and rock debris.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the sedimentary rock types with their descriptions:

    <p>Clastic Sedimentary Rocks = Formed from accumulated loose sediments Chemical Sedimentary Rocks = Formed by evaporation and precipitation of minerals Biochemical Sedimentary Rocks = Formed from remains of once-living organisms Fine-grained Rocks = Composed of silt and clay-sized particles</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Name one agent of erosion.

    <p>Wind, moving water, gravity, or glaciers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where are fine-grained sedimentary rocks most likely to form?

    <p>Swamps, ponds, and slow-moving waters</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Angular sediment particles become rounded after significant transport.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following sedimentary features with their descriptions:

    <p>Bedding = Horizontal layers of sediment Graded bedding = Layers that change in particle size from bottom to top Cross-bedding = Angled layers formed by changing flow direction Ripple marks = Small waves or ridges formed on sediment surface</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary process that leads to the formation of chemical sedimentary rocks?

    <p>Evaporation and precipitation of minerals</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Weathering and Erosion

    • Weathering breaks down rocks into sediments through physical and chemical processes
    • Erosion is the transportation of sediments by wind, water, glaciers, and gravity
    • Sediments are transported downhill
    • Deposition occurs when sediments settle out of the transport medium
    • Larger grains settle out first in deposition
    • Lithification is the process of turning sediments into sedimentary rocks

    Weathering

    • Physical weathering breaks rocks along fractures or grain boundaries without changing the mineral composition
    • Chemical weathering changes the mineral composition of rocks
    • During weathering, resistant minerals remain chemically unchanged
    • Sediments range in size from microscopic particles to boulders

    Erosion

    • Wind, moving water, glaciers, and gravity are the four agents of erosion

    Deposition

    • Deposition occurs when transport stops
    • The smallest sediment grains settle out last
    • Fast-moving water carries larger particles than slow-moving water
    • Wind can only move small grains
    • Glaciers can move all material with equal ease

    Lithification

    • Compaction is the squeezing out of water from sediments due to weight
    • Cementation glues sediments together as minerals grow between the grains

    Sedimentary Features

    • Sedimentary rocks contain information about their formation
    • Bedding is the most common feature of sedimentary rocks
    • Bedding is horizontal layering of sediment
    • Graded bedding indicates a change in transporting energy over time
    • Cross-bedding forms when sediment is deposited at an angle over a horizontal surface
    • Ripple marks are small sediment ridges made by wind or wave action
    • Asymmetrical ripple marks indicate a current flowing in one direction
    • Symmetrical ripple marks indicate wave action

    Angular vs Rounded

    • The shape of sediment changes during transportation
    • Angular sediment is sharp, while rounded sediment is smooth

    Clastic Sedimentary Rocks

    • Formed from loose sediments that accumulate on Earth’s surface
    • Classified by the size of their particles

    Coarse-grained Rocks

    • Consist of gravel-sized sediments
    • Include conglomerates, which have rounded, gravel-sized particles.
    • Are transported by high energy water flows like mountain streams

    Fine-grained Rocks

    • Consist of silt and clay-sized particles.
    • Form in slow-moving waters like swamps and ponds
    • Tend to be more layered than coarse-grained rocks.

    Chemical and Biochemical Sedimentary Rocks

    • Formed by evaporation and precipitation of minerals
    • Minerals dissolved during weathering are transported to lakes and oceans
    • Minerals precipitate when water evaporates

    Chemical Sedimentary Rocks

    • Form when mineral concentration reaches saturation
    • Mostly found in arid regions
    • Minerals precipitate out of solution

    Biochemical Sedimentary Rocks

    • Formed from the remains of once-living organisms

    Table 2: Classification of Sedimentary Rocks

    Classification Texture/Grain Size Composition Rock Name
    Clastic Coarse (> 2 mm) Fragments of any rock type -quartz, rounded
    chert and quartzite common
    Conglomerate
    Medium (1/16 mm to 2 mm) Quartz and rock fragments Breccia
    Fine (1/256 mm-1/16 mm) Quartz, potassium feldspar and rock fragments Arkose
    Very fine (< 1/256 mm) Quartz and clay Siltstone
    Quartz and clay Shale
    Calcite (CaCO3) Sandstone
    Microcrystalline with conchoidal fracture Quarts (SiO2) Micrite
    Abundant fossils in micrite matrix Calcite (CaCO3) Chert
    Fossiliferous
    Limestone
    Shells and shell fragments, loosely cemented Calcite (CaCO3) Coquina
    Biochemical Microscopic shells and clay Chalk
    Variously sized fragments, ooids Highly altered plant remains, some plant fossils Coal
    Calcite (CaCO3) Oolitic Limestone
    Fine to coarsely crystalline Calcite (CaCO3) Crystalline Limestone
    Chemical Fine to coarsely crystalline Dolomite (Ca,Mg)CO3 Dolostone
    Very finely crystalline Quartz (SiO2) -light colored; dark colored Chert; Flint
    Calcite (CaCO3) Micrite
    Fine to coarsely crystalline Gypsum (CaSO4 2H2O) Rock Gypsum
    Halite (NaCl) Rock Salt

    Medium-grained Rocks

    • Consist of sand-sized sediments
    • Contain features like ripple marks and cross-bedding
    • Sandstone has a high porosity and is often used as an underground reservoir for oil, natural gas, and groundwater

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    Related Documents

    Lesson 2: Sedimentary Rocks PDF

    Description

    Test your knowledge on weathering and erosion processes, including how rocks break down into sediments and the roles of various agents like wind and water. Learn about the impact of these processes on the formation of sedimentary rocks and the characteristics of sediments. Challenge yourself with questions regarding the mechanisms of physical and chemical weathering, erosion, and deposition.

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