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Ancient ripple marks preserved on a bedding surface of a sandstone in the Dakota Formation (Cretaceous) at Dinosaur Ridge, Colorado. Photo by Vince Cronin.



Sedimentary Rocks




Assignments For This Topic...

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The reading assignments are in the required textbooks listed on the main course syllabus (https://croninprojects.org/Vince/Course/PhysGeol/Geo1405-Spring2021.html. A reminder about how to get to the eText is provided HERE

  1. Read : the study questions for this section, listed at https://croninprojects.org/Vince/Course/PhysGeol/Geo1405-SedRox-Q.html and keep them in mind as you read the following assignments. Most, if not all, of the answers will be in the reading assignments for this topic.
  2. View a short video from Dave McConnell and friends — Sedimentary Rocks
  3. Scan: Earth, chapter 7, Sedimentary Rocks
    Note that Tarbuck, Lutgens, and Linneman refer to "chemical" rocks in section 7.3, but it would be better to think of these as precipitated sedimentary rocks.
  4. Read: Earth, chapter 7, section 7.1 An Introduction to Sedimentary Rocks and all of its subsections
  5. Read: Earth, chapter 7, section 7.2 Clastic Sedimentary Rocks and all of its subsections. This introductory material will help you with Lab Activities 6.4 and 6.5.
  6. Read: Earth, chapter 7, section 7.3 Chemical Sedimentary Rocks and all of its subsections
    Note that Tarbuck, Lutgens, and Linneman refer to "chemical" rocks in section 7.3, but it would be better to think of these as precipitated sedimentary rocks as contrasted with clastic (siliciclastic, bioclastic, volcaniclastic) sedimentary rocks or organic solids. Many limestones are mostly or entirely bioclastic sedimentary rocks.
  7. Read: Earth, chapter 7, section 7.4 Coal: An Organic Sedimentary Rock.
    Note that coal is not actually a "rock" by common definition, because coal is not primarily made of mineral grains. Hence, referring to coal as an organic solid is preferred to referring to it as a rock.
  8. Read: Earth, chapter 7, section 7.5 Turning Sediment Into Sedimentary Rock and its subsections
  9. Read: Earth, chapter 7, section 7.6 Classification of Sedimentary Rocks. This background reading will help you with Lab Activity 6.6.
  10. Read: Earth, chapter 7, section 7.7 Sedimentary Rocks Represent Past Environments and all of its subsections. This background reading will help you with Lab Activities 6.7 and 6.8.
  11. Complete the lab assignment as described below

    Important Notes
    Lab Assignment to be largely or entirely completed before your weekly lab meeting
    1. View the pre-lab video Sedimentary Rocks, Processes, & Environments introducing the material in Chapter 6 of the AGI/NAGT Lab Manual at https://goo.gl/JIK8cy.
    2. View the pronunciation guide for geoscience terms used in Chapter 6 of the AGI/NAGT Lab Manual at https://youtu.be/e4AuTfaVdPc.
    3. Scan: AGI/NAGT Lab Manual, chapter 6, section Introduction and all of its subsections, pages 147-153.
    4. Read: AGI/NAGT Lab Manual, chapter 6, section Primary Properties of Sediments and Sedimentary Rock and all of its subsections, p. 154-156.
    5. Do: AGI/NAGT Lab Manual, chapter 6, Activity 6.4, Sediment from Source to Sink, pages 172-174. If you get stuck, contact your Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) or Dr. Cronin and they'll try to help you get unstuck. Submit a PDF of your completed activity sheet to the Sedimentary Rocks assignment in Canvas — submission instructions HERE.
    6. Do: AGI/NAGT Lab Manual, chapter 6, Activity 6.5, Sediment Analysis, Classification, and Interpretation, page 175. If you get stuck, contact your Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) or Dr. Cronin and they'll try to help you get unstuck. Submit a PDF of your completed activity sheet to the Sedimentary Rocks assignment in Canvas — submission instructions HERE.
    7. Read: AGI/NAGT Lab Manual, chapter 6, section Classification of Sedimentary Rock and all of its subsections, p. 156-161
    8. Do: AGI/NAGT Lab Manual, Activity 6.6 Hand Sample Analysis and Interpretation, page 176-78, using the videos linked below. Submit it to the Sedimentary Rocks assignment in your lab section's Canvas space — submission instructions HERE.
      Identify these specimens, in the order given, on page 176 of the AGI/NAGT Lab Manual:
      Identify these specimens, in the order given, on page 177 of the AGI/NAGT Lab Manual:
      Identify these specimens, in the order given, on page 178 of the AGI/NAGT Lab Manual:
    9. Read: AGI/NAGT Lab Manual, chapter 6, section Sedimentary Structures and Environments and all of its subsections, p. 161-166.
    10. Do: AGI/NAGT Lab Manual, chapter 6, Activity 6.7, Grand Canyon Outcrop Analysis and Interpretation, page 179. If you get stuck, contact your Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) or Dr. Cronin and they'll try to help you get unstuck. Submit a PDF of your completed activity sheet to the Sedimentary Rocks assignment in Canvas — submission instructions HERE.
    11. Do: AGI/NAGT Lab Manual, chapter 6, Activity 6.8, Using the Present to Imagine the Past — Dogs and Dinosaurs, page 180. If you get stuck, contact your Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) or Dr. Cronin and they'll try to help you get unstuck. Submit a PDF of your completed activity sheet to the Sedimentary Rocks assignment in Canvas — submission instructions HERE.
  12. Complete the assigned work in Mastering Geology
    Complete the Dyamic Study Module called Sedimentary Rocks and HW07 by going to Mastering Geology through the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS). A reminder about how to get to the Mastering Geology assignments is provided HERE


Summary of Assigned Lab Activities for This Week: Activities 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, and 6.8




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