Stratified Rocks

What I Need to Know

Unlocking the successive events of the Earth’s historical past gives us the key in learning about
the environment of long ago. The possible geologic events that occurred in a certain area based on the
rock layers are part of the major history in Earth’s past. What evolved in the past can be best
explained by rock formation with proper recording. This part of geologic process helps everyone to
understand the different rocks through cross sections examination of large masses of rocks.
This module will tackle rock formation and stratification. The separation between individual
rock layers are termed stratification planes. Through stratification, the past record movements of the
Earth’s surface is preserved. With the interpretation of such events, this permits practical results of
mineral deposits, petroleum fields, and groundwater reservoirs locations.
Specifically, in this lesson, you are expected to describe how layers of rocks or stratified rocks are
formed. The Pretest that you have just answered identified your preparedness about the lessons in
this module

What’s In
Earth changes through its natural processes either in slow or in rapid way. Erosion and
weathering are some of the slow processes on Earth. Meanwhile, landslides, volcanic eruptions,
tsunamis, and earthquakes are due to rapid processes. In the previous lesson, we talk about ocean
basin structure and formation. The evolution of different structures and features of ocean basins were
brought about by slow processes that have been taking place on the Earth’s surface.
Ocean basins are the maximum sites and intrabasinal for deposition of sediments from the
continents. In areas near the active submarine volcanoes, the rate of the deposition of sediments can
be very high. However, there are areas where magmatism is difficult to access due to intense building
of volcanic structures above sea level. But numerous sample of rocks have been recovered and
studied through drilling, dredging, and expeditions of small submarines to the ocean floor. Some
drilling expeditions have reached through the sediment cover and into the oceanic crust. The
successive Earth’s geologic events have paved the way to go further expeditions, thus adding to the
Earth’s history.
Another slow process that takes place on Earth’s surface is the rock formation. The formation
and characteristics of rocks provide us information regarding the past. There are natural processes
that influence rock layering such as weathering, erosion, heat, pressure, compacting, cementing,
cooling, and melting. Cross-sectional examination of large masses of rocks in a certain place can be
the best way to understand the historical events on the surface of the Earth.

What’s New
Before we discuss further, kindly answer the learning activity below. This will also help you
recall the different Earth’s geologic processes. There are slow and rapid processes that you can find
on the activity.

Learning Activity 1: Geo-Process Word Search

Directions: Search the word/s that tells about Earth’s Geologic Processes. For your clue, there are
twenty (20) processes that you can search. Enjoy and let’s make learning fun!
 S O L V E V I C C T S C C C
A B Y Y S O L S R S U O N D
D E L A N L E P Y U V N V V
S D R O C C K R S N O V E M
A D O O R A K E T A K E N S
S I N G S N N A A M P R D S
H N W O R I K D L I M G D D
F G O N E S O I L S S I E S
A L T E R M O N I G W N P N
L A Y E R I N G Z M E G O E
L A P S S V I N E M A I S A
S O U N D R I F T H T T I R
M A G M A T I S M A H A T T
E R U P T I O N C B E C I H
L E G A K L M I N E R O O Q
L F R P W X F R Z G I V N U
E G J Q X I X R Y R N S E A
F A U L T I N G Q E G P D K
R H L A X Z Z V J V S P P E
S I R L A N D S L I D E S D
S T A T S E T S L D S S S R
S N O I T A M R O F K C O R
Figure 1: Geo-Process Word Search
Did you find all the geologic processes? Refer to the answer key provided for your reference. How’s
the activity? Are you now ready to continue with your learning regarding stratified rock? On the
succeeding pages, there are discussions of the activities as a way to deepen your discovery and
understanding of the concept.

What Is It
Stratified Rocks
The learning activity above tells us that Earth has undergone various changes and processes.
As you are continuously learning from all the lessons about Earth’s processes, you can further find
out that its history has indeed evidences. This will also help you understand why and how the
Earth’s surface experience natural occurrences.
As mentioned earlier, one of the evidence of Earth’s history is the rock formation and
stratification. Now, let us know some significant terms to facilitate your understanding on rock
stratification. Definition and description of these words were provided for you to explore the lesson.

Let’s unlock Terms:

Bedding is also called stratification which describes the sedimentary rocks layering, and sometimes,
the layering found in metamorphic rock.
Sedimentary rock is a type of a rock formed by the accumulation of sediments with subsequent
cementation of mineral, or organic particles on ocean floor or other bodies of water at the Earth's
surface.
Strata is also referring to rock layers.
Stratigraphic Laws are basic principles used and applied by geologist to determine the age and
characteristics of a rock layers.
Stratigraphy is the study of a rock strata or layers.
A Danish scientist named Nicholas Steno, studied the relative positions of sedimentary rocks.
Further, Steno made mention that solid particles settle according to their relative weight and size.
First to settle is the largest and heaviest one while the smallest and lightest are last to deposit. He said
that layering is the most evident feature of sedimentary rocks. Particle size and composition of the
materials contributed much to the layering.

The scientific discipline concerned with the description of rock successions and their interpretation in
terms of a general time scale is called stratigraphy. This discipline provides a basis for historical
geology and found application such as petroleum and archaeology. Moreover, through the use of
stratigraphic concept and data, the process of locating reservoir traps has been done significantly.

What’s More
In order for you to develop mastery of the competency of this lesson, accomplish this required
task.
Developing Mastery 1: KIM Chart: Stratified Rocks
What to Do?
1. Identify the Key words/ideas or concepts that you have learned so far related to stratified rocks.
Identify as many as you can.
2. Give Information such as a definition or description that matches the key idea.
3. Draw/illustrate/cut-out pictures for the visual representation of the concept as for the Memory
Clue.
4. Use the table below to show your KIM Chart. A sample is given below. Use separate sheet of
paper.
Key word/idea or concept Information Memory Clue
Example:

strata rocks layering

What Is It
A rock strata is composed of preserved and fossilized species. This understanding helps the
scientists to piece together the evolutionary history of a group of organisms and Earth’s history as a
whole. The Grand Canyon in Arizona is the good example of rock stratification. This place is a
natural formation distinguished by layered bands of red rock that reveals millions of years of
geological history in a cross-section. A simple figure below shows how Grand Canyon shows rock
layering.

Figure 2: Grand Canyon at Arizona

Source: Grand Canyon National Park: Mather Point Pano 03." Flickr at
https://www.flickr.com/photos/grand_canyon_nps/7553734530.

What’s More
Developing Mastery 2: My Geologic History Contribution

Materials Needed: pencil, bond papers, and any coloring materials

What to Do?
Imagine yourself as a geologist who is observing rock layers in an area or place.
Construct a simple geologic history of that area or place by illustrating your own rock strata. You will
consider the simple sequence in which the oldest part is at the bottom while the youngest is found at
the top. Use different colors and shapes to represent the fossilized species in every sequence and
location.
Write a brief but concise description of your own stratified rock geologic history contribution.

What’s New
Geologists conduct studies that locate rocks and how rock layers are formed. Moreover,
geologists use the term ‘rock strata’ in a generic sense when referring to many rock layers that appear
over large areas and found almost everywhere. They are also interested in determining layers in
separate strata that are exactly the same age.
Geologists are 'earth detectives' who need clues that can help explain what happened in the past.
Through correlation geological technique, information about the changes that have taken place at
various times in Earth history can be recorded. There are two ways to correlate rock strata such as by
comparing the physical characteristics of strata with each other (physical correlation); and by
comparing the type of fossils found in various strata (fossil correlation).
However, during rock formations, unconformities represent erosional surfaces or intervals of
missing strata that can be traced and mapped over great distances. The amount of missing rock
section represented by an unconformity can also vary from place to place.

What I Can Do
This part of the module is designed to showcase your skills and knowledge gained, and
applied into real-life concerns and situation. To do this, do Lesson 1 Performance Task 1 at home.

Lesson 1: Performance Task 1: DIY Edible Rock Layering

Materials Needed:
 cookies
 chocolate chips
 marshmallows
 crushed biscuits
 gummy worms
 sprinkles
 transparent glass
Key Points: Rock layering is most obvious feature of sedimentary rocks. They are formed particle by
particle and bed by bed, and are piled one on top of the other.

Procedure:
1. Make your DIY (Do-It-Yourself) edible rock layering using those materials above. Arrange them
according to basic sequence (from bottom to top).
2. See to it that you have your representation of the following composition: Bedrock, parent material,
subsoil, topsoil, and organic material.
3. Take a picture of your step by step DIY edible rock layering and the finished output. Label them
according to important composition.
4. After you have done this activity, enjoy eating your own model. Then, do not forget to answer the
learning insight questions below. Submit the required output as requested by your teacher.

Learning Insights:
1. How did you design your DIY edible rock layering?
2. What are the possible materials or compositions of rock strata?
3. How about the other factors that lead to rock stratification?
4. Describe your DIY edible rock layering?
Quiz- Thursday
____1. Who studied the relative positions of sedimentary rocks?
A. Arthur Soo C. Nicholas Steno
B. Harry Hess D. Nicholo Steno
____2. It is science of a rock strata.
A. Geology B. Layering C. Polygraph D. Stratigraphy
____3. Rock layers are also named ______.
A. layering C. strata
B. rock D. all the choices
____4. Which of the following are the basic principles that all geologists used in interpreting the age and characteristics of
a rock layers?
A. Code of ethics C. Law of rocks
B. Ethics and principles D. Stratigraphic laws
____5. Which of the following principle states that most sediments when deposited will form a horizontal or nearly
horizontal layers?
A. The Principle of Original Horizontality C. The Principle of Faunal Succession
B. The Principle of Lateral Continuity D. The Principle of Superposition
____6. Which of the following principle shows the same vertical changes in fossils that are embedded in rocks occurred in
different places?
A. The Principle of Original Horizontality C. The Principle of Faunal Succession
B. The Principle of Lateral Continuity D. The Principle of Superposition
____7. Scientists can relate the stratigraphic correlation of rock layers based on location. This principle is known as
______________.
A. The Principle of Original Horizontality C. The Principle of Faunal Succession
B. The Principle of Lateral Continuity D. The Principle of Superposition
____8. Grand Canyon has the oldest rocks that are exposed at the base called Proterozoic-age rocks. This proves the
Principle of ______________.
A. Original Horizontality C. Faunal Succession
B. Lateral Continuity D. Superposition
____9. Which of the following places serves as a very good example of the stratification?
A. Dahilayan Park C. Grand Canyon
B. Grand Canal D. Sumalsag Cave
____10. It is any nonliving and naturally formed as aggregate mass of solid matter.
A. Crystal C. Sand
B. Rock D. Sediments
____11. The type of rocks that are formed by the layer of precipitated and deposited suspension.
A. Igneous rock C. Sedimentary rock
B. Metamorphic rock D. All of these choices
____12. What happens when fragmental volcanic material falls into lakes or the sea?
A. It undergoes the process of stratification.
B. It changes its composition.
C. It becomes layered.
D. All of these choices.
____13. Why is it that not all sedimentary deposits are stratified?
A. They may be destroyed by plants or animals.
B. This is due to recrystallization of limestone.
C. Due to other disturbances after deposition.
D. All of these choices.
____14. Where does the oldest rock found?
A. Above younger layers. C. In between solid and liquid part of layers.
B. Beneath younger layers. D. Cannot be determined.
____15. The following are part of the successive events of the Earth’s historical past. EXCEPT:
A. aging and death B. earthquake C. stratification D. weathering