Soil Vocabulary

Which horizon is below the topsoil?

• humus

• bedrock

• parent material

• subsoil

What is humus?

• The layer of large rocks below the soil

• The top layer of soil made up of dead plants and animals

• Soil made up of very small broken pieces of rock

• The middle layer that is a combination of soil and rocks

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

What is sand?

• Soil with the largest particles

• Soil with the smallest particles

• Soil made up of very small broken pieces of rock

• Soil that is a mixture of sand, silt, and clay

What is clay?

• Soil with the largest particles

• Soil with the smallest particles

• Soil made up of very small broken pieces of rock

• Soil that is a mixture of sand, silt, and clay

What is loam?

• Soil with the largest particles

• Soil with the smallest particles

• Soil made up of very small broken pieces of rock

• Soil that is a mixture of sand, silt, and clay

What is silt?

• Soil with the largest particles

• Soil with the smallest particles

• Soil made up of very small broken pieces of rock

• Soil that is a mixture of sand, silt, and clay

The materials that plants need in order to grow are called _____________.

• subsoil

• sand

• nutrients

• clay

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

The bottom of a soil profile that is made of layers of large rocks is called the ______________.

• bedrock

• subsoil

• parent material

• topsoil

The layer of a soil profile that helps form the upper layers and is below the subsoil is called the ____________________.

• bedrock

• topsoil

• parent material

• subsoil

What is the first step in soil formation?

• humus

• weathering

• erosion

• metamorphic rocks

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2