Weathering involves the decomposition and breaking apart of rocks at Earth’s surface. Products of weathering may be transported and deposited to produce clastic or chemical sediments. Clastic material...Weathering involves the decomposition and breaking apart of rocks at Earth’s surface. Products of weathering may be transported and deposited to produce clastic or chemical sediments. Clastic material typically comprises quartz and clays; less commonly other minerals. We name clastic sedimentary rocks based primarily on clast size. We name chemical sedimentary rocks based primarily on composition.
Earth is the only known inhabited planet, and the geological record demonstrates that life and Earth have co-evolved for billions of years in a closely linked system. This evolution is reflected in bi...Earth is the only known inhabited planet, and the geological record demonstrates that life and Earth have co-evolved for billions of years in a closely linked system. This evolution is reflected in biogeochemical cycles that extend from the mantle to the top of the atmosphere, with ecosystems evolving in response to perturbations and inducing planetary-scale changes in Earth’s surface processes.
