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Detrital
Detrital sedimentary rocks are also referred to as clastic sedimentary rocks. Detrital rocks are created from small pieces of other rocks and organic matter. Theses pieces are moved by water and deposited in layers. These layers are then turned into rock by lithification, the process of compaction (due to the weight of matter resting on the layers) and cementation (due to minerals from the water).
Chemical
Chemical sedimentary rocks are also referred to as nonclastic sedimentary rocks. Chemical rocks are formed in a similar process of deposit and lithification, but differ in the material used to make the rock. Instead of being formed from pieces of other rock, chemical sedimentary rocks are formed from minerals transported in water.
Identification
You can see the small particles that make up detrital sedimentary rocks, and chemical sedimentary rocks often have a visible crystal structure. An often encountered example of detrital sedimentary rock is sandstone, which is formed from sand. Limestone is an example of chemical sedimentary rock formed from the mineral calcium carbonate.