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Sedimentary Rocks - Papers Online

Sedimentary Rocks

(also called deposited rocks) are rocks, which are derived from the decomposition, and weathering of older rocks.
The sedimentary rock cover of the continents of the earth's crust is extensive, but the total of that being of is estimated to be only five percent of the total. contain important information about the history of the earth. They contain fossils, the preserved remains of ancient plants and animals. The composition of the sediments provides us with clues as to the original rock. Differences between different layers indicate changes to the environment, which have occurred over time.
are classified into two broad groups, clastic and chemical . Clastic are formed by the ...

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slowly as a result of mechanical weathering and chemical weathering. Mechanical weathering is the breakdown of rock into particles without producing changes in the chemical composition of the minerals in the rock. Ice is the most important agent of mechanical weathering. Water percolates into cracks and fissures within the rock, freezes, and expands. The force exerted by the expansion is sufficient to widen cracks and break off pieces of rock. Heating and cooling of the rock, and the resulting expansion and contraction, also aids the process. Weathering contributes further to the breakdown of rock by increasing the surface area exposed to chemical agents.

Chemical weathering is the breakdown of rock by chemical reaction. In this process, the minerals within the rock are changed into particles that can be easily carried away. Air and water are both involved in many complex chemical reactions. The minerals in igneous rocks may be unstable under normal atmospheric conditions; ...

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Sedimentary Rocks. (2005, October 2). Retrieved November 23, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Sedimentary-Rocks/34233

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 10/2/2005 05:04:30 PM
Category: Science & Nature
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 693
Pages: 3

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