Conglomerate

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Sedimentary rocks and structures form through a combination of processes involving sediment, pressure, and time. They begin as loose particles such as sand, silt, or clay that settle at the bottom of a body of water like a river or ocean. As more particles accumulate on top, they are compressed by increasing weight, forcing them to bond together into a single unit. This bonding process can occur through various means including cementation where minerals dissolve from surrounding rocks and precipitate out as new bonds. Alternatively, pressure compaction takes place when the weight of overlying sediment forces grains closer together until they stick. Over time, these newly formed rocks are shaped by erosion which continues to wear them down into unique structures such as deltas, dunes, or badlands.