Soil Review

A student hypothesized that soil was made up of small rocks. He examined several soil samples using a microscope. Which of these did the student most likely conclude makes up soil?

• bacteria and plants only

• weathered rock only

• plants

• weathered rock and the remains of organisms

Soils have four basic components. What important soil component is a by-product of the action of decomposers like bacteria and fungus?

• silt

• humus

• minerals

• air space

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Students in a science class examined an unknown material. They found that it was made of four main components. They recorded the percent of each component in the graph below. Based on this evidence, what is the unknown substance?

• soil

• quartz

• igneous rock

• concrete

Farmers prefer to plant crops in soil that is rich in nutrients. Which of these soil types would MOST LIKELY contain the most nutrients?

• soil that has many large rock particles in it

• soil that allows water to drain very easily through it

• soil with a bedrock that is very close to the surface

• soil with a lot of decomposed organic material in it

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Which statement BEST explains why soil is such an important natural resource?

• Soil is used to make pottery.

• Soil makes good foundations for buildings.

• Soil is packed together to make bedrock.

• Soil is used to grow the world's food crops.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Which of these layers is dark in color and contains large amounts of nutrients?

• parent material

• bedrock

• topsoil

• sand

The soil on a farm is being blown away by the wind. Which of these methods would best conserve the soil on this farm?

• plow the soil more often

• put more fertilizer in the soil

• plant only one type of crop on the farm

• place a row of trees that surround the farm

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Humus, silt, clay, and sand are all parts of _______.

• soil

• fungi

• rocks

• plants

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Organic matter in soil is made from ________.

• weathered parent rock

• decayed plants and animals

• acid rain

• carbon dioxide

Which of these would most likely occur if decayed organic material no longer entered the soil?

• Water in the soil would not stay clean.

• Air would not be able to enter the soil.

• Rock fragments would not break down.

• Plants would not get the nutrients they need.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3