Sedimentary Rocks
What are sedimentary rocks made of?
Layers of sediment such as sand, silt, and clay.
Name one fossil fuel.
Coal, oil, or natural gas.
What is weathering?
The breaking down of rocks into smaller pieces.
What is one cause of weathering?
Wind, water, ice, or plant roots.
Name a place where fossil fuels are found.
Deep underground or beneath the ocean floor.
What is the process of sedimentary rock creation?
weathering, erosion, deposition, compaction, and cementation
What are fossil fuels made of?
ancient remains of plants and animals.
What is erosion?
The movement of sediment by wind, water, or ice.
What is one cause of erosion?
Moving water, wind, or glaciers.
What is one way fossil fuels are harmful?
They release greenhouse gases--carbon dioxide when they are burned, which greatly contributes to climate change.
Why are sedimentary rocks formed under water?
Because the minerals in water is needed to "glue" or bind the sediment together--forming rock
How long does it take to form fossil fuels?
Millions of years.
What is deposition?
The process of sediments settling in a new location.
How does water cause erosion?
By carrying sediments downstream.
What type of energy can replace fossil fuels?
Renewable energy like solar, wind, or hydroelectric power.
What is compaction?
The process of squeezing layers of sediment together under pressure.
What is one use of fossil fuels?
Producing energy for electricity, transportation, or heating.
How is coal created?
Coal: This fossil fuel is a solid, formed from the remains of ancient swamp plants that were buried by layers of sediment and exposed to lots of heat and pressure over millions of years.
How do plants help weathering?
Plant roots grow into cracks in rocks, breaking them apart.
Do weathering, erosion, and deposition happen on the moon?
No, because the moon has almost no atmosphere
What is cementation?
The process where minerals stick sediments together like glue.
What is the difference between what ancient remains make up coal vs oil?
coal is mostly ancient swamp plants and oil is mostly ancient planton from the ocean
How is oil and natural gas created?
Oil: A thick, black liquid formed from the remains of ancient sea organisms (mostly plankton) that were buried under layers of sediment over millions of years.
Natural Gas: A gas formed with oil from the remains of ancient sea organisms that were buried under layers of sediment over millions of years.
What is deposition?
When eroded materials settle in a new location.
Can you become a fossil fuel?
YES! any organic matter has the possibility of becoming a fossil fuel