GRADE SCALE

in sedimentology, division of a continuous range of particle sizes into a series of discrete groups, called grades. Several such scales have been devised for the purpose of standardizing terms and providing a basis for statistical analysis. On most scales, the finest particles are designated clay, followed by silt and then sand; other grades, which vary from scale to scale, include granules, gravel, pebbles, cobbles, and boulders. The size limits for each grade vary from scale to scale. The Table gives several representative grade scales. The scale devised (1898) by the American sedimentary petrologist J.A. Udden was adapted (1922) by C.K. Wentworth, who expanded the definitions of the various grades to conform with actual usage by researchers; most sedimentologists have adopted the Udden scale with the Wentworth modifications but with the elimination of the granule class.