Soil Components

weathered or eroded into small particles like sand and silt

• rocks

• organic matter

• minerals

• water

wear away or change the appearance or texture of something by long exposure

• weathering

• leaching

the loss of nutrients and materials that have been dissolved as they move through soil

• weathering

• leaching

plant, animal, or microbes that may be new to the soil or fully decomposed

• rocks

• organic matter

• minerals

• air

made up of rocks and minerals of various sizes (sand, silt, and clay)

• rocks

• organic matter

• minerals

• water

fills spaces around soil particles (called pores or pore spaces)

• air

• rocks

• minerals

• water

spaces between particles

• water

• rocks

• organic matter

• air

What percentage of ideal soil is air?

• 5%

• 25%

• 45%

What percentage of ideal soil is organic matter?

• 5%

• 25%

• 45%

What percentage of ideal soil is water?

• 5%

• 25%

• 45%