Question

Select the correct order of physical size of sediment particles from largest to smallest:

a) Silt, clay, sand, gravel
b) Sand, gravel, silt, clay
c) Clay, silt, sand, gravel
d) Gravel, sand, clay, silt

Answer 1

The correct order of sediment particles from largest to smallest is d) gravel, sand, silt, and clay, with gravel being the largest and clay the smallest.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct order of physical size of sediment particles from largest to smallest is gravel, sand, silt, and clay. Sediments are sorted by size as they are transported by water, wind, or ice, with larger particles settling out first, when the transporting medium slows enough to drop them. Grain size analysis of sedimentary rocks and soils utilizes this information to understand sediment transport and depositional history. In the context of sediment and rock classification, gravel is the largest sediment size, followed by sand, which is composed of mostly quartz due to its durability through transport. Silt is smaller and usually consists of minerals like feldspar and silica. Clay particles are the smallest and are often associated with fine silt, providing plasticity to natural clays.