3. Sedimentary Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks - are composed of the products of mechanical and chemical weathering. Sedimentary rocks are deposited usually in near-horizontal layers by the agents of transportation. eg wind, water, and ice. Burial produces lithification or hardening.
Sedimentary sources:

  • deserts - aeolian deposits
  • glacial deposits
  • rivers - deltas
  • shallow marine areas (fossils)
  • deep marine areas
  • reefs

Note: deposits from shallow and deep marine areas (i.e. organic deposits) eventually form coal, oil, and natural gas (i.e. fossil fuels)

Watch the video below to see how sedimentary rocks are formed. This video was created for a particular course, so you can ignore directions about filling in a worksheet or looking at a textbook page.