Exploring Biochemical Sedimentary Rocks and Their Formation

What do biochemical sedimentary rocks help record?

• Weather patterns

• Organisms and environments in Earth's history

• Volcanic activity

• Earthquakes

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

How do marine organisms form their shells?

• By extracting ions from seawater

• By photosynthesis

• By absorbing sunlight

• By consuming other organisms

What is an example of a location where limestone was formed 280 million years ago?

• The Grand Canyon

• The Sahara Desert

• El Capitan in west Texas

• Mount Everest

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

What are coccolithophores made up of?

• Calcite plates

• Sand grains

• Silica

• Clay particles

What type of rock is formed from marine organisms that precipitate silica?

• Shale

• Sandstone

• Chert

• Limestone

What is the initial form of coal deposits?

• Bituminous coal

• Anthracite

• Peat

• Graphite

What environment is ideal for the rapid burial of vegetation to form coal?

• Deserts

• Tropical swamps

• Mountain tops

• Arctic tundra

What increases in coal as it undergoes more time and burial?

• Oxygen content

• Carbon content

• Mineral content

• Water content

What are the final stages of coal formation?

• Peat and lignite

• Bituminous coal and anthracite

• Shale and sandstone

• Graphite and diamond

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-1