Name:__________________________________________ Date:______________________________
Science Quiz on Properties of Soil 4.7A
1. Students tested the capacity of a soil to retain water. They poured 200 mL of water through a
funnel holding the soil. How many milliliters of water was retained by the soil sample?
A)
B)
C)
D)
150 ml
200 ml
50 ml
350 ml
2. Students planted 12 bean seeds in each of four different soil samples. The students kept all other
conditions the same, grew them for 15 days and recorded the results.
Which soil sample produced the tallest plants?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Soil A
Soil B
Soil C
Soil D
3. The most appropriate method to use when examining properties of soil, such as color and
texture, isA) Calculation
B) Prediction
C) Observation
D) Reading
Name:__________________________________________ Date:______________________________
4. Students are comparing samples of different soils to the bars on a chart their teacher gave them.
What property of soil are they are trying to determine using this chart?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The texture of the soil
The color of the soil
The ability to support plant life
The processes that formed the soil
5. Students test the amount of water retained by different types of soil. Equal amounts of soil were
added to four funnels with filters, then the same volume of water was poured through each soil
sample.
To determine the amount of water retained by each soil sample, the student would –
A)
B)
C)
D)
add the amount of each soil sample to the volume of water poured in.
divide the total volume of water poured in by the number of samples.
subtract the volume of water collected from the volume poured in.
multiply the volume of water poured in by the number of soil samples.
Name:__________________________________________ Date:______________________________
6. Which property of soil could students determine by rubbing a sample between their
fingers?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The texture of the soil
The soil’s ability to support life
The color of the soil
The soil’s ability to retain water
7. Students poured 200 mL of water through a soil sample. They collected and measured the water
that drained from the soil. The water collected had a volume of 110 mL.
How much water did the soil retain?
A)
B)
C)
D)
310 mL
200 mL
110 mL
90 mL
8. Students are instructed to choose a soil to use for growing a bean seed in class. Which soil is the
best soil for this project?
A) Sand
B) Gravel
C) Loam
D) Clay
9. Humus gives soil added nutrients to help plants grow. Humus is made up ofA) Sand
B) Clay and mud
C) Decayed plant and animal matter
D) Silt and clay
10. Soil that is dark brown in color usually contains –
A) Fossils
B) Little water
C) Organic material
D) Clay
Name:__________________________________________ Date:______________________________