Question

If you found a piece of shale, what could you conclude about the energy of the environment in which it formed?

A. It formed in a low-energy environment.
B. It formed in a high-energy environment.
C. You would need to know the chemical composition of the rock to determine this.

Answer 1

A. It formed in a low-energy environment. Shale is made of silt and clay particles that have been buried in a depression and cemented to form a sedimentary rock. They are often formed in low energy environment with calm water.