4.7a

The pictures show a method used to collect data in an investigation. Different kinds of materials were mixed with 100 grams of garden soil. An equal amount of water was added to each mixture. Which of these was this investigation designed to answer?

• How well each material mixes with garden soil

• How well each mixture holds water

• How well each material supports plants

• How well each mixture keeps its texture when wet

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

Which of the following soils would be best for growing bean plants?

• Sandy soil with big rocks

• Loam that contains humus

• Gravel and rocky soil

• Clay soil that contains sand

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

Which of the following types of soil will be the hardest for plants to grow in?

• Sandy soil that retains a great deal of water

• Loam that contains humus and drains well

• Topsoil that drains well and contains nutrients

• Potting soil that is designed to improve plant growth

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Plants grow very well in topsoil because it is very rich. All of these processes help form the rich topsoil EXCEPT—

• ocean tides

• decay of organisms

• weathering of rocks

• erosion from wind and water

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Four soil samples of equal volume were put in funnels with filter paper. 200 mL of water was added to each sample and the water that flowed out the bottom of the funnel was collected and measured. What can you determine about the soil samples from the data?

• Soil sample R retained the most water

• Soil sample T was the driest soil

• Soil sample Q has more organic matter

• Soil sample S was about half sand

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Top soil has a rough texture with spaces between the grains. This allows water to filter quickly through the soil. Clay soil, however, is composed of smoother particles that stick together with little or no spaces between. What would happen if clay were used as a water filtration method? The water –

• would flow freely through the clay

• would not flow easily through the clay

• in the clay would evaporate very quickly

• would change the clay into sedimentary rock

Which of the following has the GREATEST effect on the ability of soil to retain water?

• The age of the soil particles

• The size of the soil particles

• The color of the soil particles

• The luster of the soil particles

To find out which soil absorbs moisture BEST, each container shown must—

• be made of a different material

• have soil from the same place

• be tested by the same person

• contain the same amount of soil

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

Your teacher has brought a sample of water to class. The sample contains a mixture of small rocks, sand, and silt (very fine soil) obtained from Buffalo Bayou. After a few hours, the sample settles. Which diagram shows the layers in which the sediments will settle?

• 
• 
• 
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Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

A student wanted to investigate which type of soil retains the most water.  She put 200 mL of water in each type of soil and measured how much water came through the soil after 1 hour.  The results are shown above.  
According to the diagram above, which soil retains the least amount of water?

• Red Soil

• Clay Soil

• Sandy Soil

• Black Soil

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-3