It depends on how you are defining the word 'soft'. Quartzite is the hardest and most durable of the three - no question there. Shale can be crumbled with the tap of a hammer. Some loosely cemented sandstone can be crumbled when squeezed hard enough with your hand and some is well cemented and quite hard.
Limestone, Sandstone, Shale
permeability
Sandstone is extremely porous and absorbs liquids like a sponge.. Shale is nearly impervious to liquids.
Yes, sandstone can become shale through a process called lithification, where sediment undergoes compaction and cementation. However, it is more common for sandstone to transform into a different type of rock, such as quartzite, when subjected to higher temperatures and pressures. Shale typically forms from the compaction of finer sediments like silt and clay. Therefore, while there's a geological connection between these sedimentary rocks, sandstone does not directly become shale.
Because sandstone has wider particles than shale and this let's the water through.
shale
Shale forms in layers of sandstone or lime.
No, shale and sandstone are two distinct types of sedimentary rocks. Shale is composed of very fine-grained particles, while sandstone is composed of sand-sized grains that are visible to the naked eye.
Sandstone is typically older than shale, as sandstone forms from the consolidation of sand particles through compaction and cementation, while shale forms from the compaction of clay and silt particles. Sandstone is generally associated with sedimentary environments that occurred earlier in geological history compared to those where shale forms.
Quartzite
Limestone, Sandstone, Shale
Sandstone, Limestone, and Shale
Sandstone, limestone, shale.
NO
permeability
Sandstone is extremely porous and absorbs liquids like a sponge.. Shale is nearly impervious to liquids.
Limestone does not belong, as it is primarily composed of calcite, while the other three - shale, sandstone, and basalt - are all composed of different mineral compositions (clay minerals, quartz, and basaltic minerals, respectively).