| Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary 1,521,833,486 visitors served. |
|
Dictionary/ thesaurus | Medical dictionary | Legal dictionary | Financial dictionary | Acronyms | Idioms | Encyclopedia | Wikipedia encyclopedia | ? |
sedimentary rock |
Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia, Hutchinson | 0.06 sec. |
|
sedimentary rock: see rock rock, aggregation of solid matter composed of one or more of the minerals forming the earth's crust. The scientific study of rocks is called petrology. Rocks are commonly divided, according to their origin, into three major classes—igneous, sedimentary, and ..... Click the link for more information. ; sediment sediment, mineral or organic particles that are deposited by the action of wind, water, or glacial ice. These sediments can eventually form sedimentary rocks (see rock ). ..... Click the link for more information. . sedimentary rockRock formed at or near the Earth's surface by the accumulation and lithification of fragments of preexisting rocks or by precipitation from solution at normal surface temperatures. Sedimentary rocks can be formed only where sediments are deposited long enough to become compacted and cemented into hard beds or strata. They are the most common rocks exposed on the Earth's surface but are only a minor constituent of the entire crust. Their defining characteristic is that they are formed in layers. Each layer has features that reflect the conditions during deposition, the nature of the source material (and, often, the organisms present), and the means of transport. See also sedimentary facies. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
|
| ? Mentioned in | ? References in periodicals archive | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| The blocks they used to build the pyramids were cut out of limestone, a sedimentary rock formed when layers of soil are deposited on top of each other. The results obtained by Geologie Quebec from systematic mapping coverage indicate the presence of a wide variety of biotite-, hornblende- and pyroxene-bearing plutonic rocks, ranging in composition from felsic to ultramafic, and numerous, isolated belts of variably metamorphosed volcanic and sedimentary rocks (Fig. Sketches of earth strata illustrate how superheated water and steam penetrate pores in volcanic rock and bubble up through sedimentary rock and the earth's crust. |
| Encyclopedia |
| Free Tools: |
For surfers:
Browser extension |
Word of the Day |
Help
For webmasters: Free content | Linking | Lookup box | Double-click lookup | Partner with us |
|---|