What are clastic rocks?
Clastic rocks are rocks which are composed of small fragments of other rocks. These fragments, known as clasts, determine the composition and texture of the clastic rock. One well-known example of clastic rock is sandstone, a type of rock made from sand-sized fragments of other rocks. Despite the name, sandstone is not necessarily made from sand, although it often contains at least some sand, depending on where and how it formed. The classic example of clastic rocks is sedimentary rocks. Sedimentary rocks are distinguished by being composed of sediments of varying sizes and composition, and they can be found all over the world. They form when the deposition of sediments over time creates an area of high pressure. The high pressure of successive layers of sediment causes the bottom layers to compact, eventually resulting in the formation of a deposit of sedimentary rock.
