How do sediments form?

How do sediments form and change over time?

• Answer:

  Sedimentary rock forms from bits of rocks deposited over time by wind and/or water. Rocks occur in all sizes. The tiny amounts of mud, pebbles, sand grains, and smaller rock particles can form sedimentary rock. Sediment can also contain the remains of once living things. This may be bones, shells, droppings, leaves or stems. Wind and water carry sediments and deposit them in layers usually in a lake or ocean bottom. The processes that turn sediments into solid rock are compaction and cementation. The processes of compaction and cementation together are known as sedimentation. With time sediments change due to high pressure and temperature eg . clay sediments change to shale and shale to slate .