High School

Limestone is a sedimentary rock found over large areas of the United States. Explain what the environment of deposition was like at the time of limestone formation and how the minerals in the limestone formed.

Answer :

Final answer:

Limestone, a sedimentary rock, forms in warm, shallow marine environments. It is made largely from the calcium carbonate in the shells of marine organisms. As these organisms die, their shells form thick layers of sediment that over time solidify into limestone.

Explanation:

Limestone, a type of sedimentary rock, typically forms in calm, warm, shallow marine environments. This is because the primary materials that make up limestone, usually calcium carbonate or 'CaCO3', are found abundantly in the shells of marine organisms. When these creatures die, their shells and skeletal fragments accumulate on the seabed, forming thick layers that over time become compacted through sedimentation.

The formation of limestone also involves an extensive biochemical process. As the dead organisms and their shells sink to the bottom of the ocean, they uncouple and form sediments on the ocean floor. Over the course of geologic time, the weight of additional layers gradually compacts these sediments into solid rock, forming limestone.

This process of formation tells us that at the time of limestone formation, the environment of deposition was likely a warm, shallow marine setting with a rich biodiversity of carbonate shell-producing marine organisms. These prehistoric environments covered large areas that are now part of the United States.

Learn more about Limestone Formation here:

https://brainly.com/question/34698797

#SPJ11