Formation of Sedimentary Rocks (Chapter 6.1) Notes
1. What is Sediment?
a. Sediments are pieces of ________________________________ that have been deposited on
_______________________________ by __________, _______________, _________,
___________________, or ________________________precipitation.
b. When sediments become ________________________ together, they form
__________________________________ rocks.
2. Weathering
a. Earth’s surface is subject to weathering, a set of _____________________ and
________________________ processes that ________________ rocks.
b. During physical weathering, rocks break into ___________________________________.
c. Chemical weathering occurs when ________________________ in a rock are
_______________________ or ________________________ change.
d. During chemical weathering, __________________________minerals break down and
____________________ minerals get _______________________.
3. Erosion and Transport
a. After weathering, rock fragments are ______________________ to different
___________________________.
b. The ____________________ and _________________________ of surface material from one
place to another is called ______________________.
c. There are _____ main agents of erosion: _______________, _____________________,
_____________________ and ________________________.
4. Deposition
a. Deposition occurs when sediments are laid down on the ____________________ or
___________ to the bottom of ____________________ ____________________.
b. __________________________ settle in __________________. Largest sediments will settle
_____________, followed by ___________________ sediments. Why? ___________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
c. Sometimes sediments _________________ form layers. ___________________ move all
sediments equally.
5. Burial
a. Most sediments eventually end up in the _____________________________ on Earth, called
______________________.
b. Basins can be over _________ thick.
c. As more sediment is _______________________, increasing ___________________ and
_________________________ cause _____________________________.
d. Lithification is the _____________________ and ______________________ process that
_____________________ sediments into sedimentary _____________.
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6. Lithification
a. Lithify comes from the ______________ word lithos, meaning ____________.
b. Lithification begins with ________________________. The ________________ of over-lying
sediments forces the grains ________________________________, causing
______________________________________. Draw compaction below.
c. Sediments buried deep enough (__________) experience _________________________ that
are high enough for ____________________________________ to occur.
d. Cementation occurs when mineral growth ____________________ (glues) sediment grains
___________________________.
e. ________________ and __________________________ are common cements.
7. Features of Sedimentary Rocks
a. Bedding – ____________________________ layering of sediments.
b. Graded bedding – When bedding becomes progressively _____________________ and
_____________________ towards _______________________ layers.
c. Cross-bedding – horizontal layers that are ____________________ and __________________
each other.
Sketch examples of each:
Horizontal bedding
Graded bedding
Cross-bedding
d. Fossils – the _________________________________, impressions, or other evidence of onceliving _________________________.
e. When an organism _________, it may be ________________ before it ___________________.
If remains are undisturbed, it might become preserved as a ___________________.
f. During lithification, all or parts of the organism can be replaced with _____________________
and turn into ______________.
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