Answer :
Final answer:
Fossiliferous limestone is classified as Biogenous Sediment, which forms from the accumulation of material produced by living organisms. This type of limestone contains visible fossils from marine organisms such as foraminifera and is studied within the field of stratigraphy.
Explanation:
Fossiliferous limestone is an example of Biogenous Sediment. This type of sediment is formed from the accumulation of material produced by living organisms. Limestone, and specifically fossiliferous limestone, often contains fossils which are remnants of ancient marine organisms. These marine organisms, like foraminifera, build their shells out of calcium carbonate, which becomes a part of the limestone after these organisms die and their shells accumulate on the ocean floor. The presence of visible fossil content is a distinctive feature of fossiliferous limestone and separates it from other sedimentary rocks, indicating a biological origin.
Other types of sedimentary rocks, such as shale and oil shale, can be found in various facies and environments, indicating different processes of formation. Arkose and graywacke are varieties of sandstone, while chalk, coquina, micrite, travertine, oolite, tufa, and fossiliferous limestone are varieties of limestone. The study of these rocks, including their fossil content, falls under the branch of stratigraphy, which combines lithostratigraphy and biostratigraphy to understand the history and environment of Earth's past. It is important to note that fossiliferous limestone is soft, commonly fine-grained, homogenous, and reacts with dilute acid.
