Sedimentation

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/sedimentation

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the geological definition?The mechanical deposition of sediment particles from suspension in air or water
2. What is the primary agents of transport?Water (rivers, oceans, lakes), wind, and glaciers
3. How do tiny particles settle in water or air?Gravity pulls denser particles down, and when the fluid moves slower, it can’t keep them in suspension, so they drop to the bottom.
4. Why do sedimentary rocks form from sedimentation?When many layers of sediment pile up, they get squished together and glued by minerals, turning into rocks like sandstone or shale.

Stratigraphy: The study of rock layers (strata) and their sequence in time.
Provenance: The origin and history of a rock or sediment sample.
Lithification: The geological process by which loose sediment is transformed into solid rock.
Centrifugal Acceleration: An apparent outward force experienced by an object moving in a circular path.