Sediment
What is sediment and where does it come from?
Small rock pieces from weathering and erosion.
What is sedimentation?
Sediment settling into layers.
What is compaction?
Pressure squeezes sediment layers.
What is cementation?
Minerals glue grains together.
What rock forms from sediment?
Sedimentary rock.
What are three examples of sediment?
Sand, silt, clay.
Why do layers form?
Heavy particles settle first.
Why does compaction force water out?
Pressure closes spaces.
Two minerals that act as cement?
Silica, calcite.
First step of formation?
Sedimentation
Why do different sediments have different sizes?
Different weathering processes.
What are sediment layers called?
Strata.
Why are deeper layers more compacted?
More weight above them.
Where do cementing minerals come from?
Dissolved minerals in water.
Second step of formation?
Compaction
Where does sediment naturally build up?
Rivers, lakes, beaches.
Why do layers have different colours?
Different materials or minerals.
How does compaction change sediment?
Makes it denser and tighter.
What must minerals do to cement grains?
Crystallise.
Third step of formation?
Cementation.
Why is sediment in fast water different from slow water?
Fast water carries larger particles.
How does sedimentation help preserve fossils?
Sediment quickly buries organisms.
What happens if sediment isn’t compacted?
It stays loose.
How do compaction and cementation work together?
Pressure packs grains; minerals glue them.
Explain the full sequence.
Sediment settles → squeezed → glued.