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Worksheets:6.E.2.3 & 2.4 Weathering & Soil (snet)
Total questions: 36
Worksheet time: 18mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
Some plants need to be in an environment where water drains easily. Which type of soil content will BEST benefit these plants?
a)
sand
b)
shale
c)
clay
d)
silt
2.
Soil in Anchorage, Alaska, is very shallow. Which is a biotic factor that plays the largest role in limiting the soil thickness in Anchorage?
a)
Precipitation falls mainly as snow or frozen rain.
b)
Decayed plant material is limited due to short growing seasons.
c)
Shade from the mountains blocks sunlight from reaching the soil.
d)
Cold temperatures keep the soil frozen for many months of the year.
3.
Soil color is closely related to its content. Which element causes soil to appear red?
a)
iron
b)
silicon
c)
calcium
d)
magnesium
4.
Which is an example of a mixture?
a)
oxygen
b)
ice
c)
soil
d)
silver
5.
Which is considered a property of soil?
a)
streak
b)
fracture
c)
texture
d)
luster
6.
Which best explains the relationship between parent rock and soil composition?
a)
Weathered parent rock determines the number of organisms found in the soil.
b)
Weathered parent rock determines the amount of air found in the soil.
c)
Weathered parent rock is the largest component of soil.
d)
Weathered parent rock is the smallest component of soil.
7.
Which environment would MOST likely have rich, fertile soil?
a)
a desert plain
b)
a coastal beach
c)
a mountain peak
d)
a flood plain
8.
Which of these particles, when found in soil, contributes MOST to the water retention in soil?
a)
gravel
b)
sand
c)
silt
d)
clay
9.
The composition of soil influences the soil’s ability to retain and transmit water and air. What soil type would be BEST for planting a productive garden?
a)
Sandy soils because they provide high silica content.
b)
Loamy soils because they contain sand and clay.
c)
Slightly rocky soils because they provide needed minerals.
d)
Clay soils because they are heavy soils and retain water.
10.
Topsoil is considered to be MOST fertile when it has a
a)
low pH level.
b)
low sand content.
c)
high organic matter level.
d)
high parent rock material level.
11.
Humus is an organic material that makes up soil. Which characteristic BEST indicates that soil has a high humus content?
a)
the color of the sample
b)
the mass of the sample
c)
the amount of clay in the sample
d)
the amount of rock in the sample
12.
A gardener wants to increase the ability of garden soil to retain water. Which of these should the gardener add to the soil?
a)
coarse sand
b)
loose gravel
c)
nitrogen pellets
d)
organic material
13.
The BEST soil mixture for plant growth and drainage is
a)
silt, pebbles, and clay.
b)
sand, rocks, and clay.
c)
humus, clay, and sand.
d)
clay, silt, and rocks.
14.
. The finest-grained soils are richest in
a)
sand
b)
humus
c)
clay
d)
iron
15.
The iron in iron-rich red soils may not be in a form that can be taken up by tree roots. As a result, leaves and needles may look yellow. Some trees release acids that convert iron in soil to a usable form. This change in soil chemistry is a type of which process?
a)
deposition
b)
weathering
c)
precipitation
d)
photosynthesis
16.
How do the nutrients necessary for plant growth get into the soil?
a)
The soil absorbs sunlight.
b)
Water filters through the soil.
c)
Organic matter is decayed in the soil.
d)
The soil is exposed to air.
17.
Which soil component has the least capacity for holding water?
a)
silt
b)
clay
c)
sand
d)
humus
18.
The table shows some of the characteristics of the soil in an area of land. Which characteristic of this area indicates that the soil was formed as a result of the interaction between organisms and their environment?
a)
The area is flat
b)
The soil color is dark brown.
c)
The soil contains humus.
d)
The soil feels gritty.
19.
. Soil that drains slowly MOST likely has a high amount of
a)
ash
b)
sand
c)
clay
d)
peat
20.
The diagram below shows two soil samples after a heavy rainstorm. Which property of soil is illustrated in the diagram?
a)
geographic origin
b)
relative porosity
c)
chemical composition
d)
nutrient content
21.
A glacier retreats leaving bare rocks. Lichens begin to live on the rocks. The lichens produce an acid that starts to break down the rocks. How will this process affect the environment?
a)
It will put acid into the lakes and ponds.
b)
It will begin the process of building soil.
c)
It will prevent the carbon cycle from occurring.
d)
It will prevent bacteria from invading the ecosystem.
22.
Which statement BEST describes the role of decomposers during the primary succession process?
a)
They prevent rock from eroding.
b)
They break down sand particles.
c)
They provide food for the plants that will grow.
d)
They add organic matter to sand to form rich soil.
23.
This diagram shows a layer of bedrock under topsoil. How can the type of bedrock under soil affect the characteristics of the soil?
a)
by preventing soil erosion
b)
by absorbing excessive rainwater
c)
by contributing small rock particles to the soil
d)
by providing surface area for nutrient accumulation
24.
A student identifies a soil sample as “very gritty.” What characteristic of the soil did the student describe?
a)
texture
b)
hardness
c)
organic content
d)
water retention
25.
Which graph BEST relates soil particle size to the percent of water able to pass through the soil?
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
d)
D
26.
If soil is permeable
a)
water cannot flow through it.
b)
water easily flows through it.
c)
it contains many minerals.
d)
it contains few minerals.
27.
What is the source of the organic matter needed for MOST fertile soils?
a)
moving water
b)
eroded sand
c)
decaying plants
d)
weathered bedrock
28.
The texture of soil depends primarily on the
a)
mass of the soil.
b)
water in the soil.
c)
composition of the soil
d)
vegetation growing in the soil
29.
What should be added to soil to increase its water retention?
a)
pebbles
b)
sand
c)
rocks
d)
clay
30.
A plant that needs well-drained soil would grow BEST in soil made mostly of
a)
silt
b)
clay
c)
sand
d)
humus
31.
. Which property BEST indicates that soil contains nutrients?
a)
texture
b)
color
c)
amount of sand
d)
amount of clay
32.
When microorganisms deplete the oxygen in soil through respiration, the soil becomes
a)
humus
b)
anaerobic
c)
compost
d)
aerobic
33.
The image below shows the area where the Mississippi River empties into the Gulf of Mexico and forms a bird’s foot delta. Images such as these are used to monitor changes to areas on Earth. The bird’s foot delta in this region changes over time. What forms this feature?
a)
river sediments
b)
underwater plants
c)
salt from salt water
d)
sand from the Gulf of Mexico
34.
Soil will pack down over time which decreases the ability of the soil to hold water. Which animals would BEST help the soil hold water?
a)
earthworms making tunnels under the surface
b)
cattle making depressions with their hooves
c)
horses making trenches when they gallop
d)
sheep pulling up plants by their roots
35.
Soil conservation officers inspect fields on four farms. Each farmer uses a different method to protect his fields. Which farm has methods that would BEST prevent soil erosion?
a)
Farm A, where crops are planted in plowed, straight rows
b)
Farm B, where each field is left unplanted every other year
c)
Farm C, where different crops are planted in plowed rows each year
d)
Farm D, where crops are planted within the remains of last year’s crops
36.
What MOST likely happens to soil when crops are NOT rotated from year to year?
a)
The soil nutrients are depleted.
b)
The soil fertility increases.
c)
The soil becomes more porous.
d)
The soil erodes less rapidly.
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