Soil Review

topmost layer of soil. It contains living material, plants, and decaying leaves. This layer is thin and very dark in color.

• Humus

• Topsoil

• Subsoil

• Parent Material

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Made mostly of minerals, and plant roots. This layer is dark in color due to the amount of decaying plant and animal matter.

• Humus

• Topsoil

• Subsoil

• Parent Material

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Made of sand, silt, and clay. May contain longer roots. It is lighter in color (reddish brown).

• Humus

• Topsoil

• Subsoil

• Parent Material

Rock that has been slightly weathered. Not many living things. (yellowish brown).

• Humus

• Topsoil

• Subsoil

• Parent Material

The lowest layer of soil. It is a solid layer of rock beneath the soil.

• Subsoil

• Bedrock

• Subsoil

• Parent Material

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

The breaking down of rocks

• erosion

• deposition

• weagthering

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

any substance that is made of living things or the remains of living things

• minerals

• organic matter

The largest particle of soil, rough and gritty. It is good for drainage because it dries quickly.

• sand

• silt

• loam

• clay

Medium soil particle, smooth and powdery, making water and air difficult to pass through when packed down.

• sand

• silt

• loam

• clay

the smallest particles that make up soil, holds a lot of nutrients but too much can make soil heavy and not good for plants.

• sand

• silt

• loam

• clay