Rain water erodes the rocks in the drainage basins of rivers. Flowing
water moves the sediment down hill and deposits it along the river channels
and at the mouth of the rivers. Ocean currents then redestribute the
sediment along the continental shelf with very little of the sediment
actually making it into the deep abyssal ocean.
In the past, the oceans covered more of the continents and there was less
land to erode. In those times sediments could be widely distributed across
the entire continent by the currents.
Did a new layer get put there each time a the water rose a bit? Did
>the water carefully select a different types of soil each time and then the
>next time get a different type?
Gravels, sand and shale tend to be deposited in different places. This is
because only the highest water speed will move gravels, a lesser speed will
move sand and an even slower speed will move clay. So normal river
deposition will create a separation of lithology in the rocks they deposit.
As the river meets the ocean the water speed slows down and the various
sized particles of sediment drop out of the load.
I don't really know what I'm talking about,
>I dont even know how the dirt turned into a rock, so I guess I'm asking
>questions out of ignorance. Still, if someone would humor me with the
>answers I would be most appreciative.
I hope this helps.
glenn
Adam, Apes and Anthropology
Foundation, Fall and Flood
& lots of creation/evolution information
http://www.isource.net/~grmorton/dmd.htm