Science Terms. Topsoil The uppermost layer of soil Top Soil.
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Teachers Guide 12 – Rocks and Soil Glossary
Bedrock: The solid rock that is found once you have dug through all the layers of soil.
Clay soil Soil that has a high proportion of clay.
Horizon A layer of soil in a soil profile
Igneous A rock formed from magma either inside the Earth or on the surface
Impermeable A rock is impermeable if it doesn’t let water in/through.
2020 JLK London Borough of Lewisham V.2
Teachers Guide 12 – Rocks and Soil Glossary
Loam Soil A soil which is a fairly even mixture of sand, clay and silt.
Magma A mixture of molten or semi-molten rock, volatiles and solids that is found beneath the surface of the Earth
Mineral A precise mix of chemical ‘elements’ which are organised in a very specific way.
Metamorphic A rock formed when existing rock is changed through heat and pressure.
Non-porous Not allowing liquid or air to pass through it
2020 JLK London Borough of Lewisham V.2
Teachers Guide 12 – Rocks and Soil Glossary
Organic material
Dead or decaying matter found at the top of soil. This lies just on top of the topsoil.
Parent material
The broken rock from which a soil is formed. It is found at the bottom of a soil profile.
Peat A dark soil that is mainly made from partly decayed plant material.
Permeable A permeable rock is one that allows water to pass in/through.
Porous Having many pores or other small spaces that can hold a gas or liquid or allow it to pass through.
2020 JLK London Borough of Lewisham V.2
Teachers Guide 12 – Rocks and Soil Glossary
Rock A solid formed of the particles of one or more minerals.
Rock cycle The movement and recycling of rocks by nature. Rocks change from one type to another during this process.
Sandy Soil Soil that has a high proportion of sand.
Sedimentary Rock
Rock formed when layers of mineral particles are squashed together
Silt Fine rock particles that are not as fine as clay, but not as coarse as sand
2020 JLK London Borough of Lewisham V.2
Teachers Guide 12 – Rocks and Soil Glossary
Soil Profile The various layers if soil from organic matter on top to the bedrock at the bottom.
Top Soil The first proper layer or horizon of soil which is found when you dig into soil.
See also
1. A Teachers Guide 8 – A Teachers Guide to Rocks and Soils2. A Teachers Guide 9 – A Teachers Guide to soil3. A Teachers Guide 10 – A Teachers Guide to the soil experiment 4. A Teachers Guide 11 – A Teachers Guide to the Rock Cycle
2020 JLK London Borough of Lewisham V.2