The difference between conglomerate and sandstone?

Answer 1

A sandstone is comprised primarily of small, rounded grains (typically <1mm in diameter) of quartz, feldspars, and other lithic fragments. A conglomerate is comprised of a mixture of larger rounded grains (>2mm diameter) that have been cemeted together and can be made up of a combination of any minerals. The main difference is the grain size; conglomerates can have large clasts and are poorly sorted whereas sandstones are well sorted and contain only small grains.

Answer 2

Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock composed of angular fragments of rocks and rock particles that have been lithified (cemented together). Breccia also has large fragments of rock. Conglomerate is a clastic sedimentary rock composed of rounded fragments of rocks and rock particles that have been lithified. Breccia is usually formed closer geographically to the point of origin of the rock fragments than are the rock fragments in conglomerate.

Breccias can also form in fault zones as rock from either surface of the fault is broken by fault movement and subsequently re-lithified.

Answer 3

They are often formed in different environments, but the main difference is in appearance. Below are the main differences:

• Conglomerate consists of mostly rounded fragments; Breccia consists of mostly angular fragments
• Conglomerate is often formed as a result of a large flash flood; Breccia is often formed as a result of a turbidity current (where fragments are tossed around in a high energy marine environment where they tumble down a slope, landing randomly in a heap)
• Conglomerate can contain very large fragments: consider the size of pebble on a river beach, or indeed on a pebble beach by the sea. Breccia tends to contain more gritty-type fragments.
• In terms of processes prior to their burial; fragments in conglomerate tend to have been tossed around and eroded for far longer than those in Breccia. For Breccia, it may be as simple as a fragment falling loose from a cliff face, then falling to the beach, where it is quickly swept into the sea and rolls to the bottom. From this, we can say that conglomerate fragments have been eroded for millennia, but breccia fragments may only have spent a decade or so above the surface.

Answer 4

Both breccia and conglomerate contain rock fragments larger than sand. In a breccia the fragments are angular while in conglomerate they are rounded. The fragments in a conglomerate are believed to be been transported from their source while fragments in breccia have had little transportation.

Answer 5

breccia is clastic composed of bits and fragments. conglomerate is composed of ROUNDED bits and fragments

Answer 6

Limestone is organic and they're made out of shells. Conglomerate is clastic and is not made out of shells. Both of them are sedimentary rocks though.

Answer 7

nope