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Instructions
Understand that sedimentary rocks are made up of sediments of rocks and debris that change over time from the elements, particularly water. These sediments, or pieces, are reformed into new rocks.
Identify sedimentary rocks by looking at the layers of sediment found in the rocks. Layers are made up of things in the water like sand, salt, tiny rocks, dirt and debris.
Determine if the rocks you are trying to identify were found near water or in water. Sedimentary rocks are weathered by the flowing water or tossing waves. They break down and form layers in the water bed and over time they are pressed together to form sedimentary rocks.
Look for rocks that are in water and have remnants of living things as part of their composition. You may find fish or shells in the layers. If there is no water nearby, see if there was once a lake or a river. The rocks could have formed after the water dried up.
Check for limestone in the layers of rock. Some sedimentary rocks have lime in them like calcareous tufa. These rocks were formed in lime based water. When the water was evaporated, the lime became part of the sediment.
Compare your rocks to those rocks considered sedimentary like shale, sandstone and limestone. These rocks are smooth and worn down by the water. They have layers of sediment reformed together. Some have fossils in them. They are made up of different layers of rocks mixed together.
Visit a website like rocksforkids.com to see samples of sedimentary rocks. Compare your rocks to the ones you see on various rock websites. Look at photos, charts and identifying features to help you determine if you have a sedimentary rock.