Name ____________________________
Reference Table Activity: Sedimentary Rocks
Introduction: Sedimentary rocks are formed from accumulated sediments. Most sedimentary rocks are formed
from materials that have been deposited in calm water. Sedimentary rocks form a thin veneer (layer) at the
Earth’s surface. Often some of the characteristics of the sediments are retained in sedimentary rocks. Geologists
classify sedimentary rocks into two groups: clastic (those formed by physical weathering) and nonclastic (those
formed chemically and/or organically).
Procedure: Use your Earth Science Reference Tables to answer the following questions.
Questions
1. _______________ A clastic, fine grained rock which tends to split easily.
2. _______________ A crystalline, chemically precipitated rock composed of Halite.
3. _______________ A clastic rock made up of grains averagine 0.1 cm in diameter.
4. _______________ A rock containing angular fragments.
5. _______________ A bioclastic, chemically precipitated rock consisting almost entirely of
calcite.
6. _______________ Which of the following would have the most uniform grain size?
Conglomerate, Limestone, Breccia, Shale
7. _______________ Which rock consists almost entirely of a single element?
8. _______________ A crystalline, chemically precipitated rock which is NOT composed of
Calcite, Halite or Dolomite.
9. _______________ Which of the following is LEAST LIKELY to be considered “monominerallic”?
Rock Salt, Rock Gypsum, Limestone, Conglomerate
10. _______________ A crystalline rock composed of Dolomite.
11. _______________ A rock that was NOT formed from the cementation of some form of rock,
mineral or shell fragment?
12. _______________ Name two rocks that could be classified as having an organic origin.
_______________
13. _______________ A rock composed mostly of quartz and/or feldspar grains?
14. _______________ Forms from the compaction and cementation of clay sized particles?
15. _______________ Formed from the compaction and cementation of well sorted particles
0.001cm in diameter.
REGENTS QUESTIONS