Here's a breakdown of the process:
1. Weathering: Rocks are exposed to the elements (wind, rain, ice, etc.) and break down into smaller pieces. This can be physical (like freezing water expanding in cracks) or chemical (like acidic rain dissolving rock).
2. Erosion: The broken-down rock fragments are moved by wind, water, or ice.
3. Transportation: The fragments are carried away from their original location. Larger fragments are typically transported shorter distances.
4. Deposition: The fragments eventually come to rest in a new location, often in a basin like a lake or ocean. Larger fragments tend to settle out first as the energy of the transporting agent decreases.
5. Compaction: The weight of overlying sediments compresses the deposited fragments together, squeezing out water and air.
6. Cementation: Dissolved minerals in the water that filled the spaces between the fragments precipitate out, acting like glue to bind the fragments together.
Examples of coarse-grained sedimentary rocks:
* Conglomerate: Made up of rounded pebbles and larger gravels.
* Breccia: Similar to conglomerate, but contains angular fragments.
The size of the fragments in a coarse-grained sedimentary rock can range from gravel to boulders, with the coarsest fragments typically found in rocks formed near their source.
