Super Sensational Soil Review

Which kind of soil has the largest particles?

a. sandb. siltc. clayd. loam

What is the main difference between sandy soil and soil that is mostly clay?

a. the size of the soil particles

b. the amount of humus in the soil

c. the number of plants that grow in the soil

d. the color of the soil

How does clay in the soil help some plants to grow?

a. It prevents weathering.b. It stores water in the soil.c. It keeps out burrowing

animals.d. It keeps the roots of the

plant nice and dry.

Rex bought a houseplant that needs soil with very good drainage. He should use soil that contains a lot of what material?

a. Clayb. Siltc. Sandd. Mud

Peter wants to plant a flower garden. Which kind of soil will be the best for his garden?

a. sandb. siltc. clayd. loam

Synthesize Look at the two pictures. The particles that make up the clay soil are much smaller than the particles in the sandy soil. They are also packed very closely together. Which soil can hold more water? Why?

Why does water pass easily through sand?

What material do sand, silt and clay combine to create in soil?

a. humusb. topsoilc. pebblesd. stone

Where would you find the most plant roots and animals?

a. in topsoilb. in humusc. in bedrockd. in subsoil

Look at this cross-section of soil. Choose the letter of the correct statement.

a. Layer B is called subsoil.b. Layer C is most likely to contain

humus.c. Layer C is called topsoil.d. Layer A is mostly solid rock.

Which of these materials comes from living things?

a. rockb. mineralsc. humusd. sand

Worms are often found in soil. How do worms help improve soil?

a. Worms eat the sand in the soil.

b. Worms attract birds to the ground.

c. Worms help mix the soil as they move.

d. Worms do not improve the soil.

Each fall many people rake their yards to get rid of the leaves that have fallen onto the property. In natural areas, however, these leaves remain on the ground.

In the spring, the leaves have disappeared. Explain what happens to the leaves.

The breaking down of rock is only the first step in making soil. What part of soil comes from living things? How does this occur?

What is weathering?a. changes in rain patterns over a

long period of timeb. the breakdown of rocks by

wind, water, or other forcesc. the movements of air across

the Earth’s surface that cause raind. the material that is ejected

from a volcano

A natural arch such as this one is formed when __________.

a. wind blows away particles of sandstone

b. rock is dissolved by rainc. gravity breaks rock into small pieces

d. water freezes in the cracks of rock

Which of these does not weather rock?

a. plant rootsb. mineralsc. blowing sandd. ice

Erosion and weathering are two different things. What is the difference between erosion and weathering?

Holly studied some of the soil she found at the bottom of a valley. The soil contained some rock particles that came from the top of a nearby mountain. Explain how the particles could become part of the soil.

A geologist wrote many books on how rivers affect the land. The geologist described detailed observations made over a long time.

Why do scientists record details about their scientific observations?

a. to prove that scientists work hardb. to make science books more interestingc. to make people want to read about scienced. to provide evidence that supports

conclusions