| In the 'Salt Lake' rollover, it was noted that the dissolved salts originate through the weathering of rocks. Examine the 'Chemical Solution' rollover and determine which three minerals are most soluble. These are amongst the most important materials that are carried by groundwater and streams to the ocean and to salt lakes and make them salty. Name the three minerals: | |
| List three ways in which the sediment changed during transport. | HINT: - What happened to the sizes of the grains?
- What happened to the shapes of the grains?
- What happened to the number of different minerals present in the sediment?
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| Fragmental sediment originates through the breakup of rock. The fragments then begin a journey to the place where they will be deposited and turned into sedimentary rock. Can any rock exposed at the earth's surface be a source material for fragmental sediment? (Yes/No) (If your answer is 'yes', that means that at the start of its journey, a grain of fragmental sediment could be made of any mineral, depending upon what minerals the source rock contained.): | You'll find the answer here:  |
| How do the distance and duration of transport of fragmental sediment affect the diversity of minerals present? | You'll find the answer here: |
| Under the right circumstances, can any mineral whatsoever that is present in the source rocks be present in fragmental sediment when it is deposited? What are those 'right' circumstances? | HINT: How will sediment that is deposited very quickly very close to where it is formed differ from sediment that travels a great distance over a long time before it is deposited? How much will sediment that is deposited very quickly very close to where it is formed differ in its mineralogy from the source rocks from which it was derived? |
| Does the lithification of sediment affect the mineralogy of the sediment? If your answer is 'yes' or 'maybe', explain in what way or under what circumstances the mineralogy is affected.
| HINT: Can 'cement' be any mineral? You'll find the answer here: |
| Can precipitated sediment be composed of any mineral whatsoever? If your answer is 'no', explain your reasoning.: | HINT: The materials out of which precipitated sediment is composed have to be present in a solution. What minerals are most likely to be present in natural solutions? |
| What is your conclusion as to whether the mineralogy of a rock may be used to identify a rock as sedimentary? (You may want to return to this question after you've thought about the minerals present in metamorphic rocks.) | HINT: Do all sedimentary rocks contain a mineral or minerals not found in any igneous or metamorphic rocks? Are there some sedimentary rocks that contain a mineral or minerals not found in any igneous or metamorphic rock? |