sedimentary
Pebble
Clast (Lithic fragment / Quartzite pebble)
Hardness: 7 (if quartz-based); Color: Brown to gray; Luster: Dull to sub-vitreous; Shape: Rounded by water transport; Cleavage: None apparent due to water-worn tumbling.
- Hardness
- 7 (if quartz-based)
- Color
- Brown to gray
- Luster
- Dull to sub-vitreous
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (if quartz-based); Color: Brown to gray; Luster: Dull to sub-vitreous; Shape: Rounded by water transport; Cleavage: None apparent due to water-worn tumbling.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the mechanical weathering, erosion, and fluvial transport of larger rock masses, typically smoothed and rounded over a long period by water action in streams, rivers, or beaches.
Uses & applications
Used in landscaping, decorative ground cover, aggregate in concrete, and rock tumbling or specimen collecting by hobbyists.
Geological facts
Small rounded rocks like this are called pebbles. The rounding process is known as attrition, where rocks collide with each other and the stream bed while being transported by water.
Field identification & locations
Found abundantly in streambeds, riverbanks, glacial outwashes, and coastal beaches worldwide. Identified by its smooth, water-worn shape and general resistance to weathering.
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