Science 9 #4: Soil

A medium that consists of a mixture of sediment and minerals, organic matter, air, various other gases, liquids, organisms, and microorganisms which together provide the fundamental ecosystem and essentials for plant life and all life is called what?

• Mud
• Gravel
• Dirt
• Soil

Which of the following is NOT one of the four functions of soil?

• Soil provides space and medium for plants to grow. That is, plants require soil for their roots to live and thrive.

• • Soil also provides molten rock to the lithosphere which in turn creates new earth through a process called vulcanization.

• • Soil provides water storage and water purification. I.e., water soaks into the soil and the medium can filter things out of water when it flows through it.

• Soil provides a home for many organisms, especially microorganisms.

Which of the following terms is used to describe a layer of a soil profile?

• soil bed

• soil horizon

• soil stratum

• soil layer

You are digging out a soil sample and first find a thin layer of topsoil. Underneath this layer, you see a larger layer of very fine particles that is still fairly wet and somewhat gray in color. What type of soil exists beneath the topsoil?

• Sandy soil
• Loamy soil
• Rocky soil
• Clay soil

Which of the following statements about soil is FALSE?

• 1. It contains organic material like decomposing plants.

• 1. It contains inorganic material, such as weathered rocks.

• 1. It provides the medium for plant growth.

• It develops very quickly because of erosion.