When the ground subsides it can become lower than the surrounding terrain, forming a basin. Since water, which carries sediment, flows downhill, sediment will collects in these basins. If enough sediment collects, compaction and cementation will turn it into sedimentary rock.
Erosion and deposition can lead to the formation of sedimentary rock.
Heat and pressure lead to the formation of metamorphic rocks.
Sedimentary rocks have been on the earth since it first cooled enough to form a solid crust. Since then the processes of weathering and erosion have lead to the deposition of sediments. The oldest sedimentary rocks we have been able to identify are found in Greenland and are about 3.9 billion years old.The recognition as to what sedimentary rocks were and how they were formed came with the emergence of the science of Geology and the first geological maps (made by William Smith in England) in 1799. The understanding as to what sedimentary rocks were came as part of the principle of uniformitarianism which was developed from the work of the Scottish geologist James Hutton in 1785.
there are not three factors. Metamophic rocks are formed by heat and pressure. the heat sort of melts it slowly while the pressure compacts it. For an animation of the formation go to http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es0607/es0607page01.cfm?chapter_no=visualization :)
Igneous rocks will develop large crystals is they cool slowly underground.
Erosion and deposition can lead to the formation of sedimentary rock.
Clastic sedimentary rocks are formed by the weathering, erosion, deposition, compaction and cementation of other rocks. Chemical sedimentary rocks however may be precipitated directly from saturated solutions (examples incldue the evaporitic rocks and certain types of carbonates such as oolitic limestones). Some other sedimentary rocks may be biogenic in origin (such as the linmestones that are formed of coral reefs).
Heat and pressure lead to the formation of metamorphic rocks.
Weathering is the breaking down of existing rock into smaller pieces that are transported by erosion to a place of deposition, which can lead to compaction and cementation--two processes necessary in the formation of sedimentary rock.
When igneous rocks are crushed and compacted into sediment
sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rocks are formed on or near the Earth’s surface, in contrast to metamorphic and igneous rocks, which are formed deep within the Earth. The most important geological processes that lead to the creation of sedimentary rocks are erosion, weathering, dissolution, precipitation, and lithification.
Rocks formed by crystallization from a melt (magma).
sedimentary rock formed by the denudational process of various activity. the sediments in sea water may deposited and thus lead to the formation of sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rocks have been on the earth since it first cooled enough to form a solid crust. Since then the processes of weathering and erosion have lead to the deposition of sediments. The oldest sedimentary rocks we have been able to identify are found in Greenland and are about 3.9 billion years old.The recognition as to what sedimentary rocks were and how they were formed came with the emergence of the science of Geology and the first geological maps (made by William Smith in England) in 1799. The understanding as to what sedimentary rocks were came as part of the principle of uniformitarianism which was developed from the work of the Scottish geologist James Hutton in 1785.
Sedimentary processes are normally very slow in human terms. The process of lithification of sediments can take millions of years. Chemical sedimentary rocks, on the other hand can be created in a very short period of time even though the processes that lead to them may take much longer.
Sedimentary rock can form in more than one way. The majority of sedimentary rock is clastic sedimentary rock, formed from the weathering and erosion of existing rock. The steps in its formation are listed below. Steps 4 and 5 are often listed together as the process of lithification.Weathering of pre-existing rock into smaller pieces.Erosion and transportation of weathered rock particles (sediments).Deposition of eroded sediments.Compaction of deposited sediments.Cementation of compacting sediments.For further explanation of sedimentary rock formation, see the related question below.