Soil Quiz Practice

Soil formation begins with the weathering of_______.

• Humus
• Subsoil
• Litter
• Rock

Decayed organic material in soil is called______.

• Litter
• Silt
• Humus
• Clay

Soil's one of the Earth’s most valuable resources. Everything on Earth depends on soil somehow.

• True
• False

Ellen grabs a topsoil sample in her hand. She rolls it into a ball. The soil feels gritty and the ball falls apart. What part of the topsoil most likely made the topsoil feel gritty?

• clay
• sand
• silt
• humus

When plants, animals, and other organisms die, they break down and become part of the soil. What is this part of the soil called?

• sand
• silt
• clay
• humus

You dig a small hole in the soil and the next day it rains. The hole fills with water, but does not empty even after several days of dry weather. What is the soil mostly made of?

• clay
• sand
• humus
• silt

Which of the following is NOT one of the three layers of soil?

• topsoil
• undersoil
• subsoil
• bedrock

The vertical section of soil that shows all the different layers is called a: 

• Soil horizon
• Soil profile

In which soil type would water drain easily?

• Sand
• Silt
• Clay

Which soil particles have the smallest pore spaces between sediments?

• Clay
• Silt
• Sand