FORMATION OF

ROCK LAYERS
SEDIMENT
ARY ROCK
 Principle of
Uniformitarianism
• James Hutton proposed the idea of
Principle of Uniformatism. It states
that the current geologic processes,
such as volcanism, erosion, and
weathering are the same processes
that were at work in the past. The
Earth’s history was studied using
the different records of past events
preserved in rocks.
Strata
Nicholas Steno studied the
relative position of
sedimentary rocks. That are
formed particle by particle,
bed by bed, and the layers are
piled one on top of the other.
These rock layers are also
called strata.
How are rock layers
formed?

Stratified rocks
- also known as derivatives rock
- products of sedimentary
processes that from layers.
- rock layers form depend on its
stratigraphy and stratification.
STRATIFICATI
ON

• rock bedding
• layering in sedimentary and
igneous rocks formed at that and
the surface of the Earth that
comes from lava flows or other
volcanic activity.
 STRATIGRAPH
Y
• It is the branch of geology that deals
with the description, correlation, and
interpretation of stratified sediments
and stratified rocks on and within the
Earth.
• study of the rock layers(strata).
• Give clues to the location of ancient
seas, mountains, plateaus and plains.
Stratigraphic Laws
Original Horizontality
 Lateral Continuity
 Superposition
 Cross Cutting
 Law of Inclusions
 Law of Faunal Succession.
Law of States that sedimentary rocks
Original are originally deposited in flat
Horizontali horizontal layers and then may
later be tilted by faults and
ty folding.
Law of Lateral
Continuity
• Layers are originally
deposited as
continuous layers
that may be faulted
or removed by
erosion after their
deposition.
Law of  Inany undisturbed sequence of
Superpositio rocks deposited in layers, the
youngest layer is on top and the
n oldest on bottom.
Law of Cross-Cutting
Relationship

•A dike or sill is
younger than
the rocks they
cut across.
Law of
Inclusion
A rock mass that
contains pieces
of inclusions
rocks called are
younger than the
other rock
masses.
Law of Faunal
Succession
first recognized by William
Smith
different strata contain
particular assemblage of fossils
by which rocks may be identified
and correlated over long
distances
Law of
Unconformitie
s

 Describes a layer of
rock that have been
deformed or eroded
before another layer is
deposited, resulting in
rock layer mismatching.
Types of Unconformities:
Who’s
Older, Who’s
Younger?
Correlation of Rock
Layers

• Correlation - process of
showing that rocks or geologic
events occurring at different
locations are of the same age.
Methods in correlating rock
layers, these includes:

1. Rock types and its characteristics

 color, texture, hardness, composition or its mineral
content
 the harder and more densely packed the particles are,
the older the rock and the deeper the layer it came
from.

2. Index fossil
 any animal or plant preserved in the rock record of
the Earth
3. Bed rock
 a deposit of solid rock that is
typically buried beneath soil
made up of igneous, sedimentary,
or metamorphic rock,
Types of Correlation
• Physical Correlation - is accomplished by using number of
criteria such as color, texture, and types of minerals contained
within a rock layer.
• Fossil Correlation - uses fossil with unique characteristics
- and use this information to estimate the age of a
rock layer in other areas that contain the same type of
fossil or group of fossils.