Ch 05.2: Characteristics of Soil

Fill in the Blanks

The layer of rock and mineral fragments produced by weathering, and covering nearly all of Earth’s land surface, is called

.

Fill in the Blanks

The portion of the regolith that supports plant growth is called

.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a major component of soil?

• mineral matter

• humus

• air

• earthworms

Match

Match each description to the correct term.

• layer of rock and mineral fragments

• part of the regolith that supports growth of plants

• decayed remains of organisms

regolith

soil

humus

• regolith

• soil

• humus

Multiple Choice

Humus is a source of plant nutrients and increases a soil's ability to retain water.

• true

• false

Multiple Select

Which of the following sentences are TRUE about the functions that soil water serves in the soil?

• Soil water provides the moisture needed for chemical reactions that sustain life.

• Soil water is the source of carbon dioxide that plants use in photosynthesis.

• Soil water provides nutrients in a form that plants can use.

• All soils contain the same amount of soil water.

Fill in the Blanks

A(n)

soil is made of equal parts of clay, silt, and sand.

Hotspot

What kind of soil contains 15% sand, 35% silt, and 50% clay?

Hotspot

What kind of soil contains 80% sand, 15% silt, and 5% clay?

Multiple Select

Identify the major components found in soil.

• mineral matter (broken-down rock)

• organic matter (humus)

• water

• air

Multiple Select

Soils are classified by texture based on the proportions of ___ -sized particles they contain.

• clay

• silt

• sand