Download Sedimentary Rock Identification

Name________________________
Period _____
Lab # __________
SEDIMENTARY ROCK IDENTIFICATION
INTRODUCTION: Most Sedimentary Rocks are composed primarily of the weathered remains
of other rocks. Sedimentary rocks usually form from the compaction, compression, and
cementation of particles of sediments. Sedimentary rocks are found as a THIN layer covering a
large layer of igneous and metamorphic rock, which are more abundant in the earth. Sedimentary
rocks are classified into three groups; 1) Clastic- composed of rock fragments, 2) Chemically
Formed- Formed by the evaporation of sea water. 3) Organically Formed-formed from the
remains of plants and/or animals.
OBJECTIVE: After you have completed this lab you should be able to identify sedimentary
rocks, and use the Scheme for Identifying Sedimentary Rocks in the ESRT’s.
Vocabulary-use your notes to define the following
Clastic-
Precipitate-
Evaporite-
Classification System-
Procedure- Using your ESRT’s page 7, please go from station to station and identify the
sedimentary rocks. Answer the question in complete sentences.
SEDIMENTARY ROCK LAB DATA TABLE
Station
Number
1
Texture
Grain Size
Composition
Comments
Rock Name
Map Symbol
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9. This is a sedimentary rock because _______________________________________________________
10. This is a sedimentary rock because __________________________________________________________
QUESTIONS: PLEASE ANSWER IN COMPLETE SENTENCES
1. What do Breccia and Conglomerates have in common, what makes them different?
2. What are all the clastic sedimentary rocks composed of according to the ESRT’s?
3. On what basis are clastic sedimentary rocks classified?
4. What would be required to change sediments that are 0.01 cm into a rock, and what would be
the name of this rock?
5. What type of rock would be crated by the compaction, compression, and cementation of
rounded pebbles embedded in clay?
6. Describe in detail how Rock Gypsum is formed. (Be specific, do not copy ESRT)
7. How does the age of the sediments in a rock compare to the age of the rock?
8. Describe how sedimentary rocks are distributed in the Earth’s crust.
CONCLUSION; List and describe how the three types of sedimentary rocks form.