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Physical characteristics |
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Rock type |
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Texture
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Composition of detrital grains
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Sedimentary structures |
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Laboratory 6
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Pamela J. W. Gore Department of Geology, Georgia Perimeter College Clarkston, GA 30021 Copyright
Materials needed:
Sedimentary rock samples illustrating features of major sedimentary environments, some of which will have fossils, sedimentary structures, or multiple lithologies to form a suite of rocks.
Sedimentary environments classification charts.
Instructions
The tables of physical, chemical, and biological characteristics below can be used as a checklist of some of the more important characteristics of sedimentary rocks which can be used to interpret the sedimentary environment.
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Physical characteristics |
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Rock type |
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Texture
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Composition of detrital grains
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Sedimentary structures |
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Chemical characteristics |
Biological characteristics |
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Fossils |
Traces of organisms |
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 Shells
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Fecal pellets or coprolites
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1. Examine the rock samples provided and fill in the chart below. Using the accompanying SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENT CLASSIFICATIONcharts labelled " CONTINENTAL", "TRANSITIONAL", and "MARINE", determine the possible sedimentary environment(s) for each sample. (You may have more than one possible sedimentary environment for some samples.) Helpful hint: Some sample boxes will contain several rock types that tend to be associated together within an environment. Consider all of the samples in the suite when making your environmental interpretation.
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Rock Types | Sedimentary Structures |
Chemical Characteristics |
Biological Characteristics |
Possible Sedimentary Environments |
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2 |
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3 |
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4 |
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5 |
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6 |
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7 |
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8 |
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9 |
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10 |
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11 |
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12 |
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13 |
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14 |
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15 |
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Online students see data table to interpret here.
2. Matching
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Rock feature |
Possible Environment |
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3. What specific characteristics could you use to distinguish between marine (ocean or salt water) and non-marine (freshwater, such as rivers or lakes) sedimentary deposits? (Look at the list of physical, chemical, and biological characteristics in the tables above, and look at the Sedimentary Environments Classification Chart.)
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4. What are two of the best sedimentary structures that indicate an environment which is periodically dry?
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5. List four "high energy" sedimentary environments (i.e., those with currents, waves, or wind).
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6. List three "low energy" sedimentary environments (i.e., those with calm water - no currents or waves).
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7. List four sedimentary structures which form in "high energy" environments.
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8. List four sedimentary structures which form in "low energy" environments.
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Now go back and look over your answers. Did you list SEDIMENTARY STRUCTURES (like ripples and mudcracks) in #4, #7, and #8?
Did you list SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENTS (like fluvial, tidal flat, and abyssal plain) in #5 and #6?
Click here to go to SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENT CLASSIFICATION
Return to Depositional Sedimentary Environments Lab
Return to Contents
This page created by Pamela J. W. Gore, pgore@gpc.edu
Georgia Perimeter College
July 14, 1998
Modified December 22, 1998
Modified June 6, 2001
Modified December 12, 2003
Modified February 27, 2004