GEOLOGY STUDY GUIDE
Module exam GL4 June 2004
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
Geology Department, Greenhead College, Huddersfield.
Jurassic Rocks, Stair Hole, Dorset
Your name .....…………………….................................................
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Date
LEARNING TARGETS
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notes
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GEOLOGY STUDY GUIDE
Module exam GL4 June 2004
When you have completed this study guide, you will:
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Have revised weathering processes and carried out a coursework on
this topic
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Know about erosion and transport in river, ice and wind currents
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Use Hjulstrom’s graph to show particle transport in river currents
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Use specimens and microscope slides to revise sedimentary textures
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Use fabric analysis to draw conclusions about sedimentary
environments
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Understand sediment maturity
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Learn more about biogenic rocks
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GEOLOGY STUDY GUIDE
Module exam GL4 June 2004
Resources
Here is a choice of resources to use. You do not need to look at them all but clearly the more
you read the better your knowledge of case studies will be. Tick the box once you have used
the resource.
If you read a photocopied extract then highlight it to help you reread it for revision. If you make
notes from a video tape make sure that the notes are headed with the name of the tape so that
you know the source of your information. Case studies are very useful for essay questions so
you should keep a separate list of the examples that you have researched.
 SR1
Understanding Geology David Webster p 42 -78
 SR2
Geoscience Edwards and King p 79 -98
 SR3
Geological Science by Andrew McLeish p 67 –114
 SR4
Exercise on breakdown of rocks and minerals
 SR5
Investigating Urban Weathering Geography Review March 1992
 SR6
Hjustrom’s Graph and questions
 SR7
Powerpoint of transport and erosion environments
 SR8
Where has all the granite gone? Tape 17 and 24 22mins
 SR9
From Snowdon to the Sea Tapes 10 and 22 22mins
 SR10 Powerpoint of thin sections of sedimentary rocks
 SR11 Fabric Analysis exercise
 SR12 Processes and Analysis Sedimentary Book 1 Chris King
 SR13 Conglomerates. Geol. Today. July/August 1990
 SR14 Interpreting sediments. Tapes 4 and 15, 22mins
 SR15 Strahler, A. and Strahler, A. Introducing Physical Geography Chap 13
 SR16 Skinner, B.J. and Porter, S.C., The Dynamic Earth Chap 7
 SR17 Library Greensmith, J.T. Petrology of the Sedimentary Rocks
 SR18 Library OU Surface Processes
 SR19 Library Tucker, M. The Field Description of Sedimentary Rocks
 SR20 Library Tucker, M. Sedimentary Petrology
 SR21 Video Sedimentary rocks: The Key to Past environments Tape 46 30mins
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Websites
www.soton.ac.uk/~imw/carb.htm
www.soton.ac.uk/imw/burton.htm#bridsand/~imw/burton
www.science.ubc.ca/~geol202/sed/sili/silihome.html
www.science.ubc/ca/~geol202/sed/carb/carbhome.html
www.devon.gov.uk/tourism/pages/woodbury/geology.html
There are many other websites you could search.
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margin notes
Module exam GL4 June 2004
ACTIVITY 1 : WEATHERING
TASK 1 CHECK YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Read through your AS notes on sedimentary rocks.
You will be tested on this part of the specification so it is essential to
understand it before you continue to the A2 course.
TASK 2 WEATHERING
Define weathering using SR1 p 42, SR2 p 79 and SR3 P67. You may find
that definitions vary, so write your own version.
Most people confuse weathering with erosion. Discuss the essential
difference between the two and write a note to yourself so that you don’t
forget.
TASK 3 KINDS OF WEATHERING
Carbonation, bacteria and organic activity, oxidation, hydrolysis,
freeze-thaw (frost shattering), expansion-contraction (insolation)
(exfoliation), crystal growth (gypsum and salt), solution, root growth,
hydration.
These are all types of weathering. Draw a table as shown below to classify
them into physical, chemical and biological weathering. The table may
take up more than one side of paper. The textbooks use a variety of terms
for the same process so when you draw up a definition keep it simple.
PROCESS
PHYSICAL
CHEMICAL
BIOLOGICAL
DEFINITION
TASK 4 BREAKDOWN PRODUCTS OF WEATHERING
Complete SR4 so that you are aware of the materials which are produced
by weathering of rocks and minerals.
TASK 5 WEATHERING COURSEWORK
Think about how you can identify and assess the processes of weathering
that have taken place in your district. How easy is it to tell which type of
weathering is having an effect on local rocks? Go through the list of
processes in Task 3 and suggest which you might expect to find in West
Yorkshire and how you could assess them. Read SR5. Your coursework
sheet will give you more guidance on how to start this piece of research.
ACTIVITY 2 : CLASTIC ROCKS
TASK 6 EROSION
Define erosion using SR1, SR2 and SR3. Make notes on the processes of
abrasion and attrition, which are the two main types of erosion occurring
in environments such as sea shores, rivers and mountains.
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Module exam GL4 June 2004
Use this box for notes
margin notes
TASK 7 TRANSPORT
Transport of material takes place in currents, such as rivers, winds,
offshore currents and glaciers. Revise the words saltation, bed load
traction, suspension and solution using SR1, SR2 and SR3.
TASK 8 HJULSTROM’S GRAPH
Hjulstrom’s graph (SR 6) is useful as a method of analysing the work done
by currents to transport and deposit sediments. It relates the velocity of a
current to the size of the particle or clast the current is able to carry.
Carry out the exercises on Hjustrom’s curve once you have talked it
through in lessons.
Then write down an explanation of these statements:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
It is harder for currents to pick up particles than it is to carry them.
Clay particles are harder to pick up than sand grains.
The higher the velocity of the current the larger the particles that can
be carried.
Clay and silt particles can only settle out (be deposited) in still water.
Using a log-log graph to show the velocity - particle size relationship
is helpful.
TASK 9
ENVIRONMENTS OF TRANSPORT, EROSION AND
DEPOSITION
Read SR2 p 90-95 on sedimentary environments, taking note of the block
diagrams which show graphic logs of the sediments found in each
environment. These are listed below:
Screes and alluvial fans
Rivers and streams (braided and meandering)
Flood plains
Glacial environments
Desert sand dunes and sabkhas
Deltas
Use the table on the back of SR6 of these environments, giving information
on grain size of sediments, likely sedimentary structures and
thickness of sedimentary layers.
TASK 10 ENVIRONMENTS OF TRANSPORT, EROSION AND
DEPOSITION
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GEOLOGY STUDY GUIDE
Module exam GL4 June 2004
Watch the powerpoint (SR7) of different environments and make
comments on the processes taking place and the sediments that result.
TASK 11 VIDEOS
Watch From Snowdon to the Sea (SR8) or Where has all the granite
gone? (SR9) These programmes will help you visualise the sedimentary
environments we have talked through in lessons.
Use this box for notes
margin notes
TASK 12 MARINE DEPOSITION
Read SR2 p 96-98. Once a river reaches the sea, processes of deposition
become more important. Revise the process of flocculation.
Draw a diagram/table to revise the spatial distribution of onshore and
offshore sands, silts and muds on beaches, continental shelf,
continental slope and abyssal plain. For each environment mention
grain size of sediments, likely sedimentary structures, thickness of
sedimentary layers and associated fossils that could be found in the Rock
Record.
TASK 13 MATURITY OF SEDIMENTS
Write down an explanation of sediment maturity after reading SR2 p 85.
Can you explain the difference between mineralogical maturity and
textural maturity? Give examples of each, using arkose, orthoquartzite
and greywacke.
TASK 14 TEXTURE SLIDES
Draw labelled diagrams to illustrate the texture of selected thin sections of
sedimentary rocks magnified x 10 through a microscope (SR10).
TASK 15 FABRIC ANALYSIS – PARTICLE SIZE AND MATURITY
Fabric analysis is the term used for the analysis of texture and
composition of sediments. Complete SR11. This is an exercise to help
you relate particle size, maturity and environment of deposition together for
5 different sediments A to E.
TASK 16
FABRIC ANALYSIS – PRACTICAL
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Module exam GL4 June 2004
Now you should be able to link particle size, shape, composition and
maturity to environments of deposition.
There are a number of sediments in the classroom which have been
collected from specific localities for you to analyse. Read SR12 p 45-48.
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Using SR12 p 45 write out the Wentworth scale for clastic sediments.
Choose 3 sediments and analyse them for grain size, grain shape
and sorting. You can find out about grain size by sieving. You will
be given instructions for using a set of sieves and scales in class. You
will need to share sieves and brushes on your table. Take great care
with the sets of sieves. Do not waste sediment and clear up after
yourselves.
Take a few grains of each sediment, put it on a piece of dark sugar
paper and cover with sticky-backed plastic so that you can look
carefully at the shape and composition of the particles. You may
need to use a lens.
Draw a bar graph to show mean grain size and sorting for each
sediment. and write a brief conclusion on the graph about the maturity
of the sediment.
Draw frequency curves for each sediment so that you can compare
their textural maturity. For each sediment write a brief conclusion
about its textural and compositional maturity and link it to its
environment of deposition.
Use this box for notes
margin notes
TASK 17
DIAGENESIS
Read SR12 p.74-78, SR 3 p103-104 and SR2 p85-86. Make notes on
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compaction
cementation
pressure solution
solution
recrystallisation
replacement by calcite, dolomite and silica
authigenic clay minerals formation.
TASK 18
PRACTICAL
Complete a practical on clastic rocks, looking at a variety of sandstones
(greywacke, orthoquartize, arkose), conglomerates, breccias, shales,
mudstones and siltstones.
TASK 19
CONGLOMERATES AND BRECCIAS
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GEOLOGY STUDY GUIDE
Module exam GL4 June 2004
Read SR13 on conglomerates for a detailed understanding of these rocks,
which occur in a number of environments. Make a note of the meaning of
these phrases: oligomict, polymict, clast-supported and matrixsupported.
Complete to questions on the back or the articles.
Deadline …………………………………………….
ACTIVITY 3 : BIOGENIC ROCKS
TASK 20
LIMESTONES
You already know from GL 1 how limestones are precipitated. Read SR1 p
70, SR2 p96-97 and SR3 p101 on limestones and make a note of any
information you have forgotten.
TASK 21
PEAT AND COAL
Coal was formed from the remains of trees and plants. Read SR1 p71-72
to revise your GL1 information and then make notes on SR2 p156-157 to
increase your detailed knowledge. Draw the diagram of the coal measure
cyclothem Fig 9.4 p157 and remind yourself of the cyclothems you studied
on the shore at Corrie, Arran, by looking back at your field report.
TASK 22 BGS MAPS
Watch slides and use selected BGS maps to see how sedimentary rocks
are shown.
TASK 23
RESOURCES
Other videos and library books are listed in the resource list. Take some
books out of the library over the holidays and browse through them.
TASK 24
EXAM QUESTION PACK
Complete the GL4 Sedimentary Rocks EQP
Deadline……………………………………
Use this box for notes
ESTA GEOTREX The Geology Teachers Resource Exchange
Contributor: Alison Quarterman Establishment: Greenhead College Date:May 05
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