STRATIFIED

ROCKS

Presented by Group 1
Luntumbuez, Tanega, Silvestrece, Herrero, Fernandez
 STRATIFICATION

The layering that occurs in most sedimentary rocks,

and in those igneous rocks that form on the surface of
the Earth (extrusive igneous rocks).

The layers range from several millimeters to many

meters in thickness, and vary greatly in shape.
 STRATIFICATION
Stratification in sedimentary rocks varies greatly both in degree
of prominence and in details of structure. In general, it is best
developed in fine-grained sediments and is least apparent and
least persistent in coarse-grained materials such as
conglomerates. Two important and distinctive structural types
are recognized as characteristic of particular environments.
These are cross-bedding, which is common in fluvial or eolian
deposits, and graded bedding, which reflects transport by density
(or turbidity) currents or, in certain cases, varved deposits.
 STRATIFICATION
Stratification in volcanic rocks differs in some respects from that
in sedimentary rocks. Fragmental volcanic material becomes
sorted in flight under the influence of gravity, particle size, and
wind. Falling to the ground, it may form well-sorted layers. If it
falls into lakes or the sea, it becomes layered like any other
waterborne detrital matter. Stratification also may result from
successive flows of liquid lava or alternations between flows and
ashfalls.
 Not all sedimentary deposits are stratified. Those
transported by ice alone, landslide deposits, and
residual soils, for example, exhibit no stratification.
Original stratification may be destroyed by plants or
animals, by recrystallization of limestones, or by
other disturbances subsequent to deposition.
 STRATIFICATION PROCESS

Horizontal layering in sedimentary rocks is called bedding or stratification. It

forms by the settling of particles from either water or air (the word sediment
comes from the Latin sedimentum, meaning settled). Layer boundaries are
natural planes of weakness along which the rocks can break and fluids can flow.
As long as the sequence of layers has not been deformed or overturned, the
youngest layers are at the top and the oldest are at the bottom. This sequence of
stratification is the basis for the stratigraphic time scale. These observations
were first made by a Danish physician, Nicolaus Steno, who in 1669 formulated
the principles of horizontality, superposition (younger layers on top of older
ones) and original continuity (sedimentary layers represent former continuous
sheets).
 Sedimentary layers - some terms

• Laminations are thin discrete layers of rock.

• Formations are groups of sedimentary rocks which have
formed at the same time and contain similar sedimentary
rocks. They are mappable units that formed under
distinctive environmental conditions.
• Unconformities are major time-gaps between layers.
 Preservation of sedimentary sequences

Most sedimentary sequences that are preserved in the rock

record are formed from catastrophic deposition such as floods,
mud flows, rock slides and melting of glaciers. For a sediment
sequence to be preserved and lithified (turned into rock), it must
be covered over by younger sediments soon after it is deposited
and water within the sequence must be expelled (this usually
achieved through compaction by the weight of overlying layers).
 DIAGENESIS
Diagenesis is the alteration of the mineralogy and/or texture of sediments
at low temperatures and pressures. It affects sediments close to the Earth's
surface. There are two main processes operating:
• compaction: by overlying sediments, involving the close-packing of
the individual grains by eliminating the pore space and expulsion of
entrapped water
• cementation: development of secondary material in the former pore
spaces which then binds the sedimentary particles together. This
material may be introduced from the passage of groundwater or
derived from solution.
 ACTIVITY
Modified True or False
Say “True” if the statement is true, if not, change the underlined to the correct
term.
• Diagenesis is the alteration of the mineralogy and/or texture
of sediments at low temperatures and pressures.
• Formations are thin discrete layers of rock.
• Extrusive igneous rocks are stratified.
• Not all sedimentary deposits are laminated.
• Stratification is the layering that occurs in most sedimentary
rocks
Thank
You
References

https://www.britannica.com/science/stratification-geology

https://australian.museum/learn/minerals/shaping-earth/
sedimentary-processes/#:~:text=Horizontal%20layering%20in
%20sedimentary%20rocks,break%20and%20fluids%20can
%20flow.