Sedimentary rock, Fossils, and Fossil Fuels
Sediments (broken pieces of rock) are deposited in an area
(often under water) and pile up over time.
These small pieces of rock form sedimentary layers and more pressure is put on the lower (oldest) layers as the amount of sediment on top of them increases.
This pile up of sediments compacts the lower layers of sediment forcing the water out from between the rocks.
Cementation happens as dissolved minerals become deposited in the spaces between the sediments. These minerals act as glue or cement to bind the sediments together.
Fossils form when an organism dies and is covered quickly by sediment.
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An example would be a sand storm moving in quickly and covering the organism.
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Organisms that live in the sedimentary layer or on the sea floor become fossils more often.
Once covered with sediment the organism is compacted along with the sediment and as sedimentary rock forms, it may leave an impression fossil on the rock.
The remains of the organism decay, but minerals may fill this space and create a 3-D fossil
Fossils provide evidence that can help us understand the conditions of that specific location/ region at a given past time.
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For instance, we could find out that an area that is currently a desert was once covered by water.
Fish fossils on a mountain tell us the mountain was once under water.
Fossils will be found in sedimentary rocks only!!!
Remember, the older fossils are in the lower rock layers and younger fossils are in the higher rock layers.
Fossil Fuels being forming as sedimentary rock forms, but it takes HEAT, PRESSURE, and TIME (lots of time)!
Because it takes so long to form, fossil fuels are considered nonrenewable resources.
If dead plant matter or Peat is trapped in the sediment layers it will be compacted along with the sediment. As the layers are pushed down heat from the earth along with pressure from the sediments will harden it into COAL.
If dead animal matter, mainly microscopic sea organisms, is trapped in the sediment layers it is compacted, and heated over time to form OIL.
Natural Gas may also form in areas where oil is located.

There are two kinds of igneous rock
Intrusive: Cools below the earth’s surface – glassy & shiny
Extrusive: Cools above the earth’s surface – has holes in the rock
Examples of igneous rock: from gas bubbles.
Basalt, Granite, Obsidian
Igneous Rock
Magma
Metamorphic Rock
Sediment
Sedimentary Rock
Metamorphic Rock often contains ribbon-like layers, and has shiny crystals from minerals (sparkles).
Examples: Gneiss, Marble, Slate
Sedimentary Rock is soft and breaks apart relatively easily (crumbly). You can often see pebbles and sand in these rocks.
Examples: Conglomerate, Limestone, and
Sandstone.
Fossils are formed in this type of rock!

W.E.D.
W = Weathering: The breaking down of rock and sediment by physical and chemical means.
E = Erosion: Transporting or moving sediment by water, wind, and ice.
D =
Deposition: Dropping or depositing of sediment in a new location.
These forces are responsible for forming many of the landforms on Earth.
They may be Destructive or Constructive.
Constructive Force: a force that builds up sediment to create a new land form. – ex. Deposition
Destructive Force: a force that tears down an existing landform and turns it into sediment. – ex. Weathering &
Erosion.
So what exactly is sediment? It is broken pieces of rock.
So what makes it different from soil? Soil contains pieces of rock, shell, decaying plants, decaying animals, and animal waste.
**In other words soil is made up of both Inorganic
(nonliving) and Organic (living) materials. Rock is not. **
W.E.D. all help create new soil by breaking down rock.
Soil Layers:
Youngest Layer
Oldest Layer
Types of Soil
The organic part of soil is called humus. It contains the remains of dead plants and animals and animal waste.
Sand is the largest type of soil particle. It does not hold water well because the larger particles do not pack together. It feels gritty to touch.
Silt is made of smaller particles than sand, and holds water better than sand. It feels smoother than sand but still grainy.
Clay is the smallest soil particle. It holds water well because the tiny particles pack together. If feels clumpy and sticky.
Loam is a mixture of clay, silt, and sand particles in equal parts.
It is the best for growing crops because it allows for water and air flow, but holds on to some water and humus also.

Landforms
1.
Mountains- formed by the movement of tectonic plates a.
Mountains are weathered and eroded by wind and water. b.
Younger mountains will be very sharp and jagged. Ex.-
Rocky Mountains c.
Older mountains will be smoother and more rounded.
Ex.- Appalachian Mountains
2.
Canyons- formed by weathering and erosion a.
Rivers running over plateaus cause canyons to form. b.
Ex.- Grand Canyon
3.
Deltas- formed by deposition a.
As rivers meet lakes or oceans, the water slows. b.
As the water slows, sediment is dropped at the mouth of the river forming very fertile soil.
4.
Sand dunes- formed by deposition a.
As wind blows, sediment is dropped to form sand dunes. b.
As the sediment piles up, the dunes take shape. c.
Sand dunes are found in deserts and along shorelines.
5. Arches – formed by weathering and erosion a.
Sea Arches are formed by waves hitting a cliff face and weathering/eroding away a portion of the cliff. It can start as a sea cave that eventually expands through a portion of the cliff or connects with another cave on the opposite wall of the cliff. b.
Sandstone Arches are formed from weathering/eroding in cracked or weakened areas of sandstone. This creates walls that eventually will develop holes in them that continue to weather and erode forming the arch.
Landforms Continued
6. U-Shaped Valley – formed from weathering and erosion. a.
Due to glacial movement through the area. b.
Moving glaciers will scrapes away rock sediments, uproots vegetation, and moves away large boulders.
7. Caves – formed by chemical and physical weathering & erosion. a.
Sea caves form from waves that enlarge small openings at the base of a cliff over time. b.
Underground caves result from rain water dissolving CO
2 creating a weak acid. This acidic water helps dissolve minerals and enlarges cracks eventually eating away holes in the ground.
-- Minerals dissolved in water drips in the caves form stalactites (formations from the cave ceilings) and stalagmites
(formations built up from the cave floor).
Additional Landforms:
Plateau
Hill
Plain
Beach
Mesa
Buttes
And so many more…………..
Check out these links to learn more: http://www.studystack.com/flashcards-824685 http://content3.jason.org/resource_content/content/digita llab/9663/misc_content/public/landformdetectives.html