Question

2) As Africa slowly separated from Arabia, and the sea began to enter the rift, what kind of sediment would you expect to be deposited? Explain your reasoning. Write a 250 word essay to answer

Answer 1

Ans.

The following types of sediments can be found in the region where the rift valley carried apart the two blocks of a continent -

1. Here, we can find out lots of volcanoes in such rift valley and as we know that the volcanoes are related to igneous rocks. These rocks are formed whenever there is coming out of lava in the form of magma from the volcanoes and this magma can either get solidified inside the earth or can get solidified after coming out of the earth crust giving birth to extrusive igneous rocks.

2. Sediments of marine origin will be seen here since sea had encroached the region now and thus, the sea organisms that have entered the region must be carrying the sea animals remain forming sedimentary rocks like limestone.

3. Lots of other sediments of both the region (African and Arabian part) must have fallen into the rift valley and hence those sediments can also be seen here.

4. Other sediments of flora and fauna can also be found here, since those animals and plants which were grown here, are now drawn into the sea and compressed to form sediments of flora and fauna. Thus, it is rich in oil and petroleum and natural gas.

Hence where there is rifting apart of two continental blocks, you can see sediments showing characteristics of both the regions and encroachment of sea also gives birth to other sea sediments. It may also result into formation of saline water lakes in the region forming more acidic soil and saline sediments (which are called evaporites)

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