Soil Pyramid

Fill in the Blank

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

Fill in the Blank

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 Blank

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