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What are sedimentary rocks and their types?


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Answer:

Sedimentary rocks are created by the deposition of material in bodies of water and at the earth’s surface, followed by cementation. Sedimentation is the process through which various organic materials and minerals settle in a particular location.

  • Sediment is the term for the particles that accumulate to produce a sedimentary rock.
  • Weathering and erosion from the source area generated the sediment, which was subsequently transferred to the deposition location by water, wind, ice, mass movement, or glaciers, which are known as agents of denudation.
  • Sedimentation may also occur as minerals precipitate from water solution or shells of aquatic creatures settle out of suspension.

Types of Sedimentary Rock

The three types of sedimentary rock are as follows:

  1. Clastic sedimentary rocks
  2. Clastic sedimentary rocks are created by weathering debris. Clastic sedimentary rocks include sandstone and siltstone.
  3. Chemical sedimentary rocks.

Chemical sedimentary rocks are created by the precipitation of dissolved components from a solution. Chemical sedimentary rocks include iron ore and limestones.

Organic sedimentary

Organic sedimentary rocks are made up of plant and animal waste that has collected through time. Organic sedimentary rocks include coal and some dolomites.

Examples:

Some common sedimentary rocks are:

  1. Limestone
  2. Sandstone
  3. Clay
  4. Chalk
  5. Shale

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