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  • Sedimentary Rock Formation: The Role of Pressure & Compaction
    Pressure from above doesn't directly remove sediment to form sedimentary rocks. Instead, pressure plays a crucial role in compacting and cementing the sediment, transforming it into rock.

    Here's how it works:

    1. Deposition: Sediments like sand, mud, and organic matter accumulate in layers.

    2. Burial: As more sediment is deposited, the layers below are buried deeper.

    3. Pressure: The weight of the overlying sediment creates immense pressure on the lower layers.

    4. Compaction: This pressure squeezes out water and air from the spaces between sediment grains, causing them to pack together tightly.

    5. Cementation: Dissolved minerals in the groundwater precipitate between the sediment grains, acting like glue and binding them together.

    So, pressure from above doesn't remove sediment, but it compresses and cements it, ultimately forming sedimentary rock.

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