Properties of Soil

Three soil samples were tested to see how much water each could hold. The same amount of water was added to each funnel of soil. Very few plants would probably grow in the clay because the water would —

• fail to reach the roots of the plants

• become too cloudy

• run through the soil too quickly

• become poisonous to the plants

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

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

Similar containers were filled with different types of soil. Holes were poked into the bottom of each container, and 300 milliliters of water were added. The water that dripped out was collected and measured. According to the information in the table, which type of soil retained water best?

• Potting soil

• Sandy soil

• Gravel

• Clay

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

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

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

The three soil samples shown above were tested to see how much water would run through the funnel in a given amount of time. The same amounts of soil and then water were added to each funnel and allowed to drain for 1 minute. Which soil retained the least amount of water?

• Top soil

• Clay soil

• Sandy soil

• Rocky soil

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

The four soil samples shown were tested to see how much water would run through the funnel in a given amount of time. The same amounts of soil and then water were added to each funnel and allowed to drain for 1 minute. Which soil retained the most water?

• Top soil

• Clay soil

• Sandy soil

• Potting soil

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-ETS1-3

A student wants to find out which type of soil holds the most water. He uses four identical pots with holes in the bottom. He fills each pot with a different type of soil and waters the pots with the same amount of water. How can he find out how much water stays in the soil in each pot?

• By planting seeds and measuring plant growth in each pot

• By measuring the amount of water that drains from each pot

• By observing which soil looks wettest after the water has been added to the pots

• By feeling the soil before and after adding water to each pot

Some students added 500 milliliters of water to equal amounts of four different samples of soil. In this investigation, which sample of soil held the most water?

• A

• B

• C

• D