The Wentworth scale was published in 1922 by Chester K. Wentworth, modifying an earlier scale by Johan A. Udden. Wentworth's grades and sizes were later supplemented by William Krumbein's phi or logarithmic scale, which transforms the millimeter number by taking the negative of its logarithm in base 2 to yield simple whole numbers.
The size fraction larger than sand (granules, pabbles, cobbles and boulders) is collectively called gravel, and the size fraction smaller than sand (silt and clay) is collectively called mud.
Sediment Grain Sizes
| Millimeters | Wentworth Grade | Phi (Φ) Scale |
| >256 | Boulder | –8 |
| >64 | Cobble | –6 |
| >4 | Pebble | –2 |
| >2 | Granule | –1 |
| >1 | Very coarse sand | 0 |
| >1/2 | Coarse sand | 1 |
| >1/4 | Medium sand | 2 |
| >1/8 | Fine sand | 3 |
| >1/16 | Very fine sand | 4 |
| >1/32 | Coarse silt | 5 |
| >1/64 | Medium silt | 6 |
| >1/128 | Fine silt | 7 |
| >1/256 | Very fine silt | 8 |
| <1/256 | Clay | >8 |
