Here's a breakdown:
1. Organic Matter: Over millions of years, dead plants and animals accumulate at the bottom of ancient swamps, lakes, and oceans. This organic matter becomes buried under layers of sediment.
2. Heat and Pressure: As more sediment layers build up, the heat and pressure increase. This process transforms the organic matter into kerogen.
3. Petroleum Formation: With further heat and pressure, kerogen changes into crude oil and natural gas, which are the raw materials for asphalt.
4. Asphalt Extraction: Crude oil is refined, and certain fractions are used to create asphalt.
Therefore, asphalt is not a rock, but rather a manufactured product derived from fossil fuels, which were formed through the process of decomposition of organic matter under high heat and pressure over millions of years.
