Soil Composition and Properties

The inorganic part of soil comes from

• decaying leaves

• weathering of rocks

• decaying animals

• bacteria and microorganisms

About half of soil is made up of

• clay

• sand

• water and air

• silt

Click on the three main particles found in soil

• sand

• humus

• silt

• clay

Reorder the following from largest to smallest soil particles

• sand

• clay

• silt

What are the air spaces within the soil called?

• gaps

• bacteria

• minerals

• pores

What do we call the ability of a material to be passed through, specifically water?

• permeability

• porosity

• leaching

• soiling

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

What do we call soil that has equal parts of sand, silt, and clay?

• dirt

• loam

• mulch

• decay

What do we call microorganisms that break down the remains of plants and animals in soil?

• microorganisms

• humus

• herbivores

• decomposers

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

What is decayed organic matter called?

• litter

• humus

• microorganisms

• loam

What do we call a person who studies soil?

• botanist

• pedologist

• soilologist

• agrologist