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31 Terms
1
What is in soil?
Weathered rock, organic matter, air, and water
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2
What is weathered rock?
Rocks that are broken down by wind, water, & ice.
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3
What is organic matter?
Decayed plants and animals
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4
What are the four types of soil?
Sand, silt, clay, and loam
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5
What is loam?
Combination of sand, silt, and clay
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6
Which type of soil supports plants best?
Loam
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7
Which type of soil holds the most water? Why is it important? What problems can it cause?
Clay - It holds onto water and nutrients for the plant. It can cause plants to become waterlogged and rot.
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8
Put the soil particles in order from the largest to the smallest.
Sand, silt, clay
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9
What is another name for layers of the soil?
Horizons
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10
What is humus?
Organic matter full of nutrients
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11
Which soil layer contains loose soil that is rich in organic material needed by plants?
Topsoil
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12
Which soil layer is made up of unweathered solid rock beneath all the other layers?
Bedrock
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13
What is the texture of sand?
Dry, gritty, or grainy
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14
What is the texture of silt?
Smooth, powdery or slippery
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15
What is the texture of clay?
Sticky when wet; clumps when dry
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16
What is the texture of humus?
Moist, crumbly
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17
What type of soil retains (holds) little water? Why is it important? What problems can it cause?
Sand. It provides drainage for the plant. It cannot hold onto nutrients.
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18
Why is organic matter important for soil?
It improves water holding and helps stick the soil together.
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19
Which layer of soil has less humus and is often filled with clay?
Subsoil
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20
How do earthworms help the soil?
Their droppings add nutrients to the soil. They burrow into the soil & provide water & air pockets.
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21
Why is soil so different worldwide? What types of conditions contribute to the formation of soil or lack of formation of soil?
Because of differences in climate, the type of rocks present, and the rate of weathering. Soils develop faster in warm, moist climates and slowest in cold, arid climates. Rainfall is one of the most important climate factors.
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22
Why is soil so important?
It anchors trees & plants, provides nutrients & minerals, protects from erosion, holds water, source of raw materials, regulates the carbon cycle, food/home for animals. Because without soil there would be no life on earth.
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23
How do scientists classify soil? What are the properties of soil?
They classify them by color, permeability, porosity, and texture.
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24
Name some practical uses of soil.
Farming, foundations for buildings, plant growth including forests, regulate the flow of water, homes for millions of organisms, preserves historical objects, filters water
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25
How long does it take to make 1 inch of soil?
100 to 500 years
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26
What does soil offer plants that they need?
minerals
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27
What are the 5 factors that influence soil formation?
Time- soil properties may vary depending on how long the soil has been weathered
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28
Climate- affects the rate of weathering
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29
Parent material-all soil comes from rocks known as the parent material soil minerals come from this through weathering
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30
Landforms-affect the drainage, erosion, and deposition of soil
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