Deposition by water, wind, ice, mass movement or glaciers.
Sedimentary Rocks formation. Sedimentary rock is formed by deposition and consolidation of mineral and organic material and from precipation of minerals from solution. The processes that form sedimentary rock occur at the surface of the earth and within bodies of water. Rock formed from sediments covers 70-80 % of the earth’s land area, and includes common types such as limestone, chalk, sandstone, conglomerate and shale. Sedimentary Rock Formation Models 5.7 A Explore the processes that led to the formation of sedimentary rock and fossil fuels. The Formation Process Explained • Formation of these rocks is one of the important parts of the rock cycle. For millions of years, the process of deposition and formation of these rocks has been operational in changing the geological structure of earth and enriching it. Let us now see how sedimentary rocks are formed. Weathering The formation process begins with weathering of existent rock exposed to the elements of nature. Wind and water are the chisels and hammers that carve and sculpt the face of the Earth through the process of weathering. ROCKS AND LAYERS Most of the rocks exposed at the surface of Earth are sedimentary --formed from particles of older rocks that have been broken apart by water or wind. These sedimentary particles may bury living and dead animals and plants on the lake or sea bottom. The sediments at the bottom of the pile become rock. Geological cycle includes many processes acting simultaneously. The most important of these begin with molten magma from within the earth forming into rock, then continue with rocks being broken down into soil, and that soil being converted back into rock. The processes that form sedimentary rock occur at the surface of the earth and within bodies of water. Rock formed from sediments covers 70-80 % of the earth’s land area, and includes common types such as limestone, chalk, sandstone, conglomerate and shale. Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the deposition of material at the Earth 's surface and within bodies of water. Most sedimentary rocks contain either quartz (especially siliciclastic rocks) or calcite (especially carbonate rocks). In contrast to igneous and metamorphic rocks, a sedimentary rock usually contains very few different major minerals. The sedimentary rock, limestone, consists of particles of calcite, traces of other minerals, and organic residues. Calcite is a carbonate mineral (CaCO3) that is precipitated from seawater effectively by respiration processes in marine plants and animals. Texture (the size, shape, and distribution of particles that collectively constitute the rock) is a function of the geologic processes related to a rock's formation. For instance, granite is an intrusive igneous rock in which the mineral grains display visible crystal surfaces. Sedimentary Rocks. Breaking rocks up into smaller pieces. There are lots of processes that cause rocks to break apart into smaller pieces. No matter what causes the rock to break, we call the smaller pieces sediment. A rock that forms from these smaller pieces of sediment is called a sedimentary rock! Keep in mind that even though sediments are 'smaller' pieces of rock, they might be still be the size of a house if they broke off from the side of a massive mountain. . Water, wind, and gravity are the main processes that move pieces of rock from place to place. Sediment might get transported thousands of miles by one of the world's major rivers, or it might just go from the top of the hill to the bottom during a landslide or as a result of natural creep. The sedimentary rock cover of the continents of the Earth's crust is extensive, but the total contribution of sedimentary rocks is estimated to be only 8% of the total volume of the crust. Sedimentary rocks are only a thin veneer over a crust consisting mainly of igneous and metamorphic rocks. Most sedimentary rocks contain either quartz (especially siliciclastic rocks) or calcite (especially carbonate rocks). In contrast to igneous and metamorphic rocks, a sedimentary rock usually contains very few different major minerals. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause mineral and/or organic particles (detritus) to settle and accumulate or minerals to precipitate from a solution. Particles that form a sedimentary rock by accumulating are called sediment. Before being deposited, sediment was formed by weathering and erosion in a source area, and then transported to the place of deposition by water, wind, ice, mass movement or glaciers which are called agents of denudation. Most sedimentary rocks contain either quartz (especially siliciclastic rocks) or calcite (especially carbonate rocks). In contrast to igneous and metamorphic rocks, a sedimentary rock usually contains very few different major minerals. Soil Formation Soils may be formed in place from rock or formed in weathered rock and minerals that have been transported from where the original rock occurred. Rocks Consist of mixtures of minerals. Igneous Metamorphic Sedimentary Igneous rocks are formed from molten magma and contain primary minerals.  As the rock cycle illustrates, rocks can form in a wide assortment of geologic settings. Rocks differ in their mineral composition and their rock texture. Texture (the size, shape, and distribution of particles that collectively constitute the rock) is a function of the geologic processes related to a rock's formation. For instance, granite is an intrusive igneous rock in which the mineral grains display visible crystal surfaces.
http://www.aboutcivil.org/geological-cycle-rock-formation.html http://www.dentonisd.org/cms/lib/TX21000245/Centricity/Domain/3377/Sedimentary%20Rock%20Formation%20Models.pdf http://www.aboutcivil.org/geological-cycle-rock-formation.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedimentary_rock http://3dparks.wr.usgs.gov/nyc/common/geologicbasics.htm http://education.usgs.gov/lessons/schoolyard/RockSedimentary.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedimentary_rock https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedimentary_rock http://extension.oregonstate.edu/crook/sites/default/files/related/soilformation.pdf http://3dparks.wr.usgs.gov/nyc/common/geologicbasics.htm
what geological processes is important in the formation of soil and sedimentary rock