Module 5: Sedimentation

Imagine that it is the middle of winter and you are planning a trip to the Caribbean to get away from the cold. If you were searching the Internet for beach resorts, what kind of results do you think you would get if you searched for the terms "wide layers of coastal sediment?" You would probably be better off searching for "wide sandy beaches," even though those beaches are just layers of sediment — material that has been broken down by weathering or erosion.

Much of the ocean floor, whether just below the surface or thousands of feet down, is covered by sediment. In this module, you will explore the different types of sediment that you might find if you journeyed to the seafloor in most areas of the world's oceans. Also, you will examine some of the resources that you might find on the bottom of the ocean and where they are most commonly found.

Getting Started

How much do you already know about the different types of ocean sediment? Check your knowledge in this non-graded interactivity. Follow the intructions on each question slide. Click SUBMIT to check your response. Click the player button to begin.

 

Key Vocabulary

To view the definitions for these key vocabulary terms, visit the course glossary.

biogenous	erosion	phytoplankton
bulk emplacement	foraminifera	pteropod
calcium compensation depth (ccd)	grain size	radiolarian
coccolithophores	gravel	relict sedimentation
cohesive	Hjustrom’s diagram	sand
colloid	hydrogenous	slump
continental shelf	ice-rafting	slurries
cosmogenous	meteorite	terrigenous
debris flow	mineral nodules	turbidity currents
diatom	mud	volcanogeneous
erosion	oxidation	weathering