Name: ________________________ Class: ___________________ Date: __________
Earth Science Chapter 5 Section 2 Review
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
____
1. Which of the following is NOT a major component of soil?
a. mineral matter
c. humus
b. air
d. earthworms
____
2. The factor that has the greatest effect on soil formation is ____.
a. climate
c. time
b. parent material
d. slope orientation
____
3. A soil’s texture is determined by ____.
a. mineral composition
b. type of humus
____
____
c.
d.
4. The main source of organic matter in soil is ____.
a. water
c.
b. plants
d.
water content
particle size
fungi
bacteria
5. In a well-developed soil profile, which horizon is the uppermost layer?
a. the C horizon
c. the A horizon
b. the B horizon
d. the parent horizon
2
ID: A
Name: ________________________
____
____
6. In Figure 5-2, what is the layer labeled X?
a. the A horizon
b. the B horizon
ID: A
c.
d.
the C horizon
the parent horizon
7. In Figure 5-2, what is the layer labeled Y composed of?
a. humus
c. unweathered parent material
b. topsoil
d. subsoil
2
Name: ________________________
ID: A
____
8. In Figure 5-2, what layer makes up the B horizon?
a. layer X
c. layer W
b. layer Y
d. layer Z
____
9. Soil that forms on unconsolidated deposits is called ____.
a. transported soil
c. residual soil
b. humus
d. bedrock
____ 10. A soil that is characteristic of the humid eastern United States is ____.
a. laterite
c. pedocal
b. pedalfer
d. humus
____ 11. A soil associated with the hot and wet tropics is ____.
a. laterite
c. pedalfer
b. pedocal
d. bedrock soil
____ 12. Laterite soils contain high amounts of ____.
a. organic material
b. iron oxide
c.
d.
calcite
calcium carbonate
____ 13. Compared to the past, rates of soil erosion are ____.
a. about the same
c. slower
b. faster
d. more unpredictable
____ 14. Which of the following human activities has caused an increase in soil erosion?
a. clear-cut logging
c. plowing land for farming
b. clearing land for construction
d. all of the above
____ 15. The rate of soil erosion depends on ____.
a. climate
b. slope steepness
c.
d.
the type of vegetation
all of the above
Completion
Complete each statement.
16. The layer of rock and mineral fragments produced by weathering, and covering nearly all of Earth’s land
surface, is called ____________________.
17. The portion of the regolith that supports plant growth is called ____________________.
18. Soils are divided into zones known as ____________________.
3
Name: ________________________
ID: A
19. A vertical section through all of the soil horizons is called a(n) ____________________.
20. The ____________________ horizon in a soil profile consists of mainly organic material, such as loose
leaves and decomposing plant structures.
21. ____________________ is a soil type that forms in temperate areas, and is characterized by the accumulation
of iron oxides and aluminum-rich clays.
22. Large amounts of calcium carbonate are typical of the type of soil called ____________________.
23. ____________________ is a soil type that has undergone intense chemical weathering in a wet, tropic area,
and is rich in iron oxide and aluminum oxides.
24. Human activities that remove vegetation have resulted in a(n) ____________________ in soil erosion.
Short Answer: ON THE TEST, you will have to complete SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS from ALL of the short
answer questions that appear in the chapter.
25. What are the most important factors that influence soil formation?
26. Briefly describe the characteristics of each soil horizon from the top layer to the bottom layer.
4
Name: ________________________
ID: A
Essay: ON THE TEST, you will have to complete ONE ESSAY QUESTION from ALL of the essay questions that
appear in the chapter.
27. Name the factor that has the greatest effect on soil formation, and explain how this factor affects soil
formation.
5
ID: A
Earth Science Chapter 5 Section 2 Review
Answer Section
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
D
A
D
B
C
A
C
D
A
B
A
B
B
D
D
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
L1
L1
L1
L1
L1
L1
L1
L1
L1
L1
L1
L1
L1
L1
L1
COMPLETION
16. ANS: regolith
PTS: 1
17. ANS: soil
DIF: L1
OBJ: 5.4
PTS: 1
18. ANS: horizons
DIF: L1
OBJ: 5.4
PTS: 1
19. ANS: soil profile
DIF: L1
OBJ: 5.5
PTS: 1
20. ANS: A
DIF: L1
OBJ: 5.5
PTS: 1
21. ANS: Pedalfer
DIF: L1
OBJ: 5.5
PTS: 1
22. ANS: pedocal
DIF: L1
OBJ: 5.6
PTS: 1
DIF: L1
OBJ: 5.6
1
OBJ:
OBJ:
OBJ:
OBJ:
OBJ:
OBJ:
OBJ:
OBJ:
OBJ:
OBJ:
OBJ:
OBJ:
OBJ:
OBJ:
OBJ:
5.4
5.4
5.4
5.4
5.5
5.5
5.5
5.5
5.5
5.6
5.6
5.6
5.7
5.7
5.7
ID: A
23. ANS: Laterite
PTS: 1
24. ANS: increase
PTS: 1
DIF: L1
OBJ: 5.6
DIF: L1
OBJ: 5.7
SHORT ANSWER
25. ANS:
parent material, climate, time, slope, and the types and amounts of organisms
PTS: 1
DIF: L1
OBJ: 5.4
26. ANS:
The A horizon, or topsoil, is made up mostly of organic matter; the B horizon, or subsoil, is made up mostly
of clay from A horizon; the C horizon is made up of partially weathered parent material; below the C horizon
is unweathered parent material.
PTS: 1
DIF: L1
OBJ: 5.5
ESSAY
27. ANS:
Climate has the greatest effect on soil formation. Two key climate factors are the temperature and the amount
of precipitation. Higher temperatures and amounts of precipitation allow for higher rates of chemical
weathering, and allow for deeper weathering, so soils form faster and are thicker in hot, wet climates. In cold,
dry climates, most of the weathering will be mechanical weathering, and soils are normally thin and require a
long time to form. The amount of precipitation also influences soil fertility by affecting the rate at which
nutrients are removed from the soil. Temperature and precipitation also influence the amount and type of
organisms that live on and in the soil.
PTS: 1
DIF: L2
OBJ: 5.4
2