Name: ___________________ HR: ________ Date: __________
Soil Study Guide
Vocabulary Words: bedrock, topsoil, soil, soil horizon, parent material, loam, fertile, weathering
What is Soil: How is soil formed?
Soil
is mix of ingredients; minerals, air, water, and organic matter (humus) and dead remains of
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living
things. It is formed from parent material and weathering.
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What are the two types of weathering? List and define each.
Chemical Weathering: Breakdown of rocks by chemical reactions changing its composition.
#1:____________________________________________________________________________
Physical Weathering: breaking up of rocks by physical forces. .
#2:____________________________________________________________________________
Soil is composed of what four materials:
Soil
is composed of: tiny pieces of rock, air , water, and humus (dead plant material) .
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Properties of Soil: What are the types of soil? Complete the chart by explaining each type of
soil, its texture, size, and some advantages & disadvantages for each type of soil.
Clay
Texture
Smooth and
hard as stone
when dry
Silt.
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Smooth & powdery
Sand.
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Rough & Gritty
Loam
A mix of sand, silt
when dry. Slippery
and clay.
when wet..
Particle Size
Small
Advantage
Holds onto
water and
nutrients..
Disadvantage
Gets heavy with
water, hardens
Medium
A combination of
small, medium &
large particles
Large
Allows some
drainage and
holds nutrients
Good drainage,
air passes
through it easily
Good drainage, air
Easily packed down,
Does not hold
nutrients
Does not hold
causing less water and
passes through it
easily.
nutrients
air to pass through.
when dry
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Soil Profile:
Label the Soil Horizon. For each
horizon, write what it is called and
what it is made of. Use your notes
to help you.
Humus: Organic Made up of mostly
organic material. Thin in some soils, think
in others and missing in some.
Topsoil. Often dark in color. Contains
most organic matter of 3 layers
Regolith: full of clay, minerals, and
organic matter. Is sandier and lighter
then other horizons.
Subsoil: little organic material; usually
brownish in color. Contains clay and minerals
that have leeched down from A & E..
Parent Material: Deepest layer of soil.
Where soils form. Usually the soil is light
yellow or brownish.
Bedrock: a mass of rock that forms the
parent material.
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Climate/Landforms: Soils varies in consistency due to climate. What are the 4 ways that soil can
be affected based on its landforms and location. List them below. .
Arctic
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Desert
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Tropical
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Temperate
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Environmental Factors: What are the 5 environmental factors that can affect soil?
The
5 factors that can affect soil are: Climate, Organisms (this includes humans too), Landscape, Parent
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Material,
and Time. Soil is slow “growing.” A single inch of soil can take hundred to thousands of years to
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develop.
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How did humans contribute to the Dust Bowl?
Humans
ripped out tall grasses to plant crops, buffalo were hunted, ranchers let cattle feed on grass and
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the
American Indians were forced out.
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