Soils

It can take a long time for soil to form. Which are the primary factors that affect soil formation?

• rainfall, temperature, wind, time, and plants

• time, climate, topography, plants, and animals

• parent rock, sunshine, plants, animals, and bacteria

• climate, parent rock, topography, living things, and time

An organism, especially a soil bacterium, fungus, or invertebrate, that breaks down organic material is a...

• Decomposer

• Burrower

• Humus source

Rain washing away soil from a hillside

• Weathering

• Erosion

True or False: Sand has less humus than other soils.

• True

• False

Reorder the following soil layers from BOTTOM layer to TOP layer.

• Bedrock

• Parent Material

• Subsoil

• Topsoil

• Humus

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

The O Horizon contains mostly..

• Organic Matter

• Rocks

• Boulders

• Houses

Answer explanation

Remember that the O Horizon is made up mainly of organic matter such as leaf litter. A trick to remember..... O Horizon & (O)rganic.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

What are soil layers called?

• Rock

• Horizons

• Layers

• Profile

What location contains thicker O-horizons?

• Forests

• deserts

• grasslands

• ocean floor

What part of the soil is the A-horizon?

• subsoil

• bedrock

• topsoil

• rocks

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

Which climate type would produce the thinnest top soils

• warm wet

• cold wet

• warm dry

• cold dry