Here are the key processes involved in transforming sediment into rock, along with explanations:

1. Burial and Compaction:

* Burial: Sedimentary layers accumulate, burying the original sediment deeper and deeper. The weight of the overlying layers creates significant pressure.
* Compaction: The pressure squeezes out water and air from the pores between sediment grains. This compresses the sediment, making it denser and more solid.

2. Cimentação:

* dissolução: Minerals dissolved in groundwater precipitate out of solution. This often happens as the water moves through the pores in the sediment.
* Precipitation: These dissolved minerals crystallize and bind the sediment grains together, acting as a "glue" that holds the rock together. Common cementing minerals include calcite, quartz, and iron oxides.

3. Lithification:

* Lithification is the overall process of transforming loose sediment into solid rock. It encompasses both compaction and cementation.

Additional Processes:

* Recrystallization: Some minerals within the sediment can change their crystal structure under the pressure and heat of burial. This process can affect the texture and appearance of the resulting rock.
* Diagenesis: This is a broader term for all the physical and chemical changes that occur to sediment after deposition. It includes compaction, cementation, recrystallization, and other reactions that change the composition and structure of the sediment.

Types of Sedimentary Rocks:

The type of sedimentary rock that forms depends on the original sediment type. Here are some examples:

* Clastic rocks: Formed from fragments of other rocks (sandstone, siltstone, shale)
* Chemical rocks: Formed from the precipitation of minerals from solution (limestone, rock salt)
* Organic rocks: Formed from the accumulation of organic matter (coal, oil shale)

Nota importante: The entire process of turning sediment into rock can take millions of years. It requires a combination of geological forces and time to create these solid, durable formations.