ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Cobble (geology)

Hey there! So, have you ever walked on a really rocky path before? You know, where the ground is covered in small rocks that make it hard to walk smoothly? Well, those small rocks are called pebbles. And if you take a bunch of pebbles and put them together in a big pile, you might end up with something called a cobble.

Now, when we talk about cobble in geology, we're talking about a specific kind of rock. Cobble is a type of sedimentary rock that is made up of other rocks and minerals that have been weathered (or broken down) over time. This means that cobble can be made up of all kinds of different things, like quartz, granite, sandstone, and more.

So, how exactly does cobble form? Well, it all starts with a big rock or boulder that gets broken down into smaller and smaller pieces by things like water, wind, and even other rocks. As these smaller pieces get washed downstream or blown around by the wind, they start to group together based on their size. Eventually, they form a pile of rocks that we call a cobble.

Cobble can be found in all kinds of different places, from riverbeds to mountain slopes. It's an important part of many geological formations and can tell us a lot about the history of the earth. Plus, it's pretty cool to look at and can make for some interesting landscapes and hiking trails!

So, there you have it – cobble in geology is just a fancy word for a pile of rocks made up of smaller rocks and minerals that have been weathered over time. It's kind of like a puzzle made up of different pieces that all fit together to form something new and unique.