| Horizons | ||
| #1 | What is the difference between the O&R horizon versus the A,B,C horizon |
O and R are not soil. A, B, and C are soil |
| #2 | What are the 5 horizon layers? |
O, A, B, C, and R horizons |
| #3 | What will soil on Mountain look like? |
Poorly developed, small A, soil erodes into the valley. |
| #4 | Humus found in the A Horizon mainly comes from what living organism? |
PLANTS |
| #5 | How is the main ingredients of A, B, and C horizon formed? |
WEATHERING |
| Parts and Properties | ||
| #1 | What are the 5 parts/main ingredients of soil? |
Weathered rock, water, air, Organic matter (humus), and minerals |
| #2 | What are the properties of soil? |
Texture, Pore space, Chemistry, Fertility, and Water retention |
| #3 | What property of soil is not important for what grows in soil and what is built on the soil? |
COLOR |
| #4 | What 3 types of living organisms affect the soil? Explain one of them. |
Plants- Provide humus for the soil Animals- loosen and mix soil to add air and water Microorganisims- decompose dead material and add nutrients back to the soil |
| #5 | Which holds water the best Sand, Silt, or Clay? |
Clay, because its smaller and able to absorb water more easily. |
| Rocks and Weathering | ||
| #1 | What are the two types of weathering? Explain each. |
Mechanical - physically changes a rock: abrasion, ice wedging, plant roots, etc.; Chemical - changes make-up of a rock: acid rain, oxidation (rust), etc. |
| #2 | How are Igneous rocks formed? |
The cooling of molten rock or magma |
| #3 | Folding, Faulting, and other motions can lead to what types of rock? |
Sedimentary and Metamorphic |
| #4 | Why is weathering important to soil? |
It breaks the main ingredient (rock) to make the soil. |
| #5 | Which type of environment type weathers soil the fastest and which type weathers soil the slowest? |
FASTEST: WET AND WARM SLOWEST: COLD AND DRY |
| Land Use | ||
| #1 | What are the 3 types of land use that can harm the soil? |
FARMING MINING CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT |
| #2 | Why is soil a necessary resource? |
It is non-renewable it takes hundreds to thousands of years to reform. It effects all living organisms directly and indirectly. Plants need it to grow. All other organisms need the plants to eat and breath. |
| #3 | Explain how fariming impacts soil. |
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| #4 | Explain how construction and development impacts soil. |
Remove plant coverage that leads to soil loss by erosion. Increases chemical weathering and pollutes the soil. |
| #5 | Explain how Mining impacts soil. |
Remove plant coverage that leads to soil loss by erosion. Soil lost into roads, streams, lakes, oceans, killing fish and other organisms. |
| Conservation | ||
| #1 | What technology is used to help study soil better from a distance? |
Remote sensing |
| #2 | How is soil most beneficial to humans? |
Soil helps sustain life! |
| #3 | What is Crop rotation? |
Rotating crops on farm land to add back nutrients that were taken away by crops from previous years. |
| #4 | What is a windbreak? |
Planting rows of trees/bushes to act like a fence to keep soil on the farm land. |
| #5 | What do WE need to do to soil to maintain good healthy soil? |
Monitor soil quality and take steps to conserve and protect the soil |
| Final Question | |||||||
How are soils around the world different and how are they similar? |
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