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Geology & Earth Sciences vocabulary · Geologic Time & Fossils

Stratum

Meaning in geology & earth sciences, with examples

/ˈstreɪtəm/nounCore term

In geology & earth sciences, stratum means: A single layer of sedimentary rock or sediment with similar features throughout, separated from the layers above and below it. The plural is strata.

In Turkish: tabaka, katman

How it is used

Much more common in the plural: rock strata, folded strata, younger strata. In the field, geologists often say 'bed' or 'layer' for a single layer. The study of strata is called stratigraphy.

Example sentences

  1. The strata dip gently towards the south.

  2. Each stratum in the cliff records a different period of deposition.

Common collocations

  • rock strata
  • folded strata
  • overlying strata
  • underlying strata
  • sedimentary rockRock formed when sediment such as sand, mud or shells is laid down in layers, then buried, pressed together and cemented over time.
  • law of superpositionThe principle that in undisturbed layers of sedimentary rock, the oldest layer is at the bottom and each layer above it is younger.
  • unconformityA surface between rock layers that marks a gap in the geological record, where erosion removed rock or no sediment was deposited for a long time.
  • fossilThe remains or traces of a plant or animal that lived long ago, preserved in rock, such as shells, bones, leaf impressions or footprints.

More terms: Geologic Time & Fossils

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