Question

Describe how coral rocks are formed

Answer 1

1. Tiny marine organism called coral polyps live in colonies in the sea
2. Polyps extracts calcium from sea water
3. The polys die and their hard skeletons of calcium carbonate accumulate into a solid mass
4. Successive colonies grow on the solid mass, thus the rock grows in size
5. The spaces between the dead coral polyps are cemented by calcareous algae