The Grand Canyon formation was a long 2 billion year process. This process was erosion and deposition leaving behind a beautiful canyon made of sedimentary rock. The canyon itself is less than 6 million years old, so it has been eroded from the Colorado River for many years. When the river changed course it began to flow into the Colorado plateau, which went up to 500 feet above its current depth. Rain, snow, wind and heat developed the process along with other weather conditions.
The rock layers in the Canyon's walls were formed in the Paleozoic Era. Coastal environments from the west from 550-250 mya deposited layers such as sandstone, shale, and limestone. The layers were around 2,400-5,000 feet thick. We don't know much evidence from the Mesozoic Era because erosion wiped away most traces of the Mesozoic Era. Rock outcrops suggest that lost of sedimentary layers around the dinosaur age was covered in the area. Sedimentary deposits were formed in lake beds and recent deposits of lava flows and cinder cones are on the Shivwits and Uinkaret plateaus. Six million years ago, volcanic activity began and continued to the past several thousand years. Lava cascades have helps scientists date the carving of the Grand Canyon
Since the grand canyon is mainly from the Ceneozoic Era, it characterizes erosion for this time. The cutting of the canyon from the Colorado River made its depth, but widening of the canyon is also determined by the climate. The canyon is still slowly widening because of the river. Harder, erosion-resistant rocks such as Coconino Sandstone (left) and Redwall Limestone (right) eroded into cliffs, while softer layers transform into slopes such as the Tonto Platform and the Esplanade.
Now, there are around 40 rock layers that have been identified in the Grand Canyon. Most of the layers are exposed, so students can come for detailed studies of environmental changes. Some evolution can be identified by looking at the different layers. Even now, geologists are still researching the Grand Canyon and new layers
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