Soil

Soil

Types of Soil

Soil is a mixture of minerals, air, water, broken pieces of rocks, clay, and the remains of dead plants and animals. It also has many insectsand earthworms that live in it

There are three main types of soil depending on:

• size

• texture of the soil particles

Sand

• Rough and Dry

• Largest Size

Silt

• Smooth when dry, non-sticky when wet

• smaller than sand particles

Clay

• Smooth when dry, sticky and slippery when wet

• Smallest

Loam

• a mixture of sand, silt and clay in equal amounts

• smooth and gritty texture

Different soil can hold different amounts of water

• the small particles of clayey soil are closely packed, so it can hold a lot of water

• the larger particles of sandy soil are loosely packed, so it can hold vey little water

• In loamy soil, the particles are neither too big or too small, So they hold just the right amount of water. This is why this soil is best for growth of plants

Multiple Choice

this is a type of soil that has the largest particles and holds only a tiny amount of water

• silt

• clay

• sand

• loam

Multiple Choice

what type of soil is a mixture of sand, silt and clay?

• loan

• loam

• moal

• laom

Multiple Choice

is a mixture of rocks, minerals, and dead plants and animals

• fertilizer

• humus

• hummus

• soil

Fill in the Blanks

soil used for pottery

Open Ended

why is sandy soil not good for growing plants?

Open Ended

what are some uses of soil?