How Are Sedimentary Rocks Formed?

Sedimentary rock cliffs. Image credit: Leene/Shutterstock.com

 The main contributors to sedimentary rock formation are erosion,
precipitation, or natural weathering; as well as lithification and
dissolution.
 Some of the more common types of sedimentary rock include
sandstone, shale, limestone and coal.
 There are two types of sedimentary rocks, referred to as either
detritus or chemical.
Sedimentary rocks are, as the name suggests, formed from the buildup of sediment. This means
they form over time on the surface of the Earth, unlike other types of rock, such as igneous or
metamorphic, which are created deep within the Earth under great pressure or heat.

Sedimentary rocks are mainly caused by gradual but constant natural changes in the
environment. The main contributors to sedimentary rock formation are erosion, precipitation, or
natural weathering; as well as lithification and dissolution. These environmental phenomena
slowly eat away at dirt or rock surfaces, or wash sediments together which eventually build up
into rock formations. Some of the more common types of sedimentary rock include sandstone,
shale, limestone and coal. In all cases, debris, organic material, or minerals slowly form into
what are typically soft, dry and porous rock types.

Types Of Sedimentary Rocks

There are two types of sedimentary rocks, referred to as either detritus or chemical.

Detritus Rocks
Detritus sedimentary rocks are formed when rock fragments, debris or sediments accumulate
over time and can be either organic or inorganic in makeup. These detrital rocks come together
under great pressure, usually over many years. The debris, or matter that form the rocks, can be
either organic or inorganic.

A chunk of coal. Image credit: Siberia Photo and video/Shutterstock.com

Organic matter would consist of dead and decaying vegetation or animal matter. Once under
great pressure, this material then compresses gradually until it becomes rock. The primary
example of this process is coal, which is formed under great pressure over long periods of time.
Sandstone rock in the Lower Antelope Canyon in the Navajo Reservation near Page, Arizona
USA. Image credit: Vichie81/Shutterstock.com
Inorganic detritus rocks, conversely, are made up of non living things. These rocks, classified as
‘clastic’, form when other rock particles or minerals accumulate and are compacted over the
duration of many years. Sandstone is the most well known example of this process, as it is rock
formed from the compression of sand.

Chemical Rocks
Limestone in a quarry. Image credit: Parmna/Shutterstock.com
Chemical rocks are formed from the accumulation of certain chemicals – usually calcium – in a
given place over time. One of the prime examples of this is limestone, which forms where
calcium carbonate precipitates and collects on the bottom of the sea. Similarly, many caves are
populated by chemical rock such as stalagmites and stalactites, which are made from calcium
and carbonate deposits.

How Are Sedimentary Rocks Formed?

Shale, a type of sedimentary rock in Thailand. Image credit: Pongsakorn
Matapan/Shutterstock.com
There are a number of different ways these types of sedimentary rocks can be formed. From
natural causes to chemical interactions, rocks are broken down or built up in various ways. Over
time and with continual pressure, sedimentary rocks transform from debris, into solid rocks or
rock formations. Below are the different ways in which sedimentary rocks can be formed.

Erosion
One of the major factors which lead to the formation of sedimentary rock is erosion. Wind,
water, and rain, will break down earth cutting through rock and soil. This constant friction of the
elements against the Earth's surface erode rock and soil, turning it into small sedimentary
particles or debris. In this way, large boulders, hill sides, and rock formations are worn down
creating small dust like debris, such as sand or mud.

Weathering
Various weather patterns or meteorological phenomena will naturally break down rock by a
process called weathering. Wind and rain can slowly wear away at large rock formations,
boulders, river beds and mountains to create minute rock debris such as sand. Examples of this
can be seen in places like large canyons and waterfalls. Canyons are formed from the constant
flow of water over the same area, slowly carving a path into the ground and producing
sedimentary rocks along the river bed. Similarly, rain water will slowly break down rock, leaving
behind minerals and rock based particles. This debris, sand and mud is what forms sedimentary
rocks.

A steep river bank with pronounced layers of sedimentary rocks. Image credit: Belozorova
Elena/Shutterstock.com
Dissolution
Dissolution is another process which breaks down hard, larger rock formations into sediment.
This type of break down happens due to chemical weathering, or acidic rain. Climate changes
and greenhouse gases are the main causes of acid rain, which eats away at stone and rock.

Lithifiction
Lithification is one way in which new sedimentary rocks can be formed. Sediments can consist
of debris, minerals and other small rock particles. These built up gradually, and when
compressed, form new rocks. Lithification specifically is when mud, clay, sand or other
sediments are pressed under the weight of water. These sediments would be found on the bottom
of the ocean or lakes, and are compressed over a great span of time. This constant pressure from
overlying sediments and water compacts the sediments until they form into a solid rock mass.

Precipitation
While the term precipitation is used most in relation to rain, in a chemical sense, it has another
meaning. When a liquid precipitates, it separates liquid - in this case water- from any
precipitates, i.e. insoluble solids found within the solution. When rain precipitates, and
evaporates into the atmosphere, various chemicals and minerals transported by rainwater are left
behind. This process forms another type of sedimentary rock, which is often found in dried up
bodies of water or river beds.