Geologic History Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Geologic History - Assignment Example Movement of ice during the ice age pushed away huge rocks on its path while the action of volcanicity eroded several sedimentary material that later formed the Colorado river. The Colorado river with its massive water volume led to severe corrosion of the valley below to set up patterns that in turn became the Grand Canyon. The activity has since been slowed down due to absence of vast ice movement and also reduced human activities around the area since it had been declared a national park(Act of congress,1919). Some of the most predominant rocks within the Grand Canyon can be classified as Metamorphic-igneous basement rocks, Grand canyon supergroup,Tonto group, Surprise canyon,Supai group, Coconino and Mesozoic deposition. The Metamorphic and igneous basement rocks are believed to have been formed 1.8 billion years ago. They mainly contain volcanic deposits like ash, mud and lava- silt. It is also interesting to note that the Grand canyon super group contains about nine rock formations of small plates. This group was formed about 1.3 billion years ago and covers up flooded sections such as the Inner gorge. The Tonto group rock structure was formed due to explosion dating 500 million years back from conglomerates and sand deposited off shore. These group of rocks might have been carried vastly by the ice movement. Another rock structure within the Grand Canyon is the Surprise canyon. The Supai group was deposited about 300 million ago in Mississippian era too. It contains fossils of reptiles, amphibians and plant material deposit. The penultimate rock composition in the Grand Canyon is the Coconino group. It has fossils of species such as insects, plants and the vertebrates too. These rocks were created about 275 million years ago and are about 600 feet high. Finally, the Mesozoic rock deposition completes the rock composition in the grand canyon. These group of rocks were formed as a result of