WorksheetsCharacteristics of Soil
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 14mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
Physically breaking down rocks and materials is called__________weathering.
a)
Chemical
b)
Mechanical
c)
Biological
d)
Permeable
2.
A rock containing iron is soft, crumbly, reddish in color. It's been chemically weathered by__.
a)
Carbon Dioxide
b)
Oxygen
c)
Nitrogen
d)
Sulfer
3.
Soil formation begins with the weathering of_______.
a)
Humas
b)
Subsoil
c)
Litter
d)
Rock
4.
The MAIN thing Decomposers do for the the soil is the following:
a)
Store moisture
b)
Burrow deep in the soil
c)
Make space for air and water
d)
Break down and digest dead organisms
5.
Decayed organic material in soil is called______.
a)
Litter
b)
Silt
c)
Humus
d)
Clay
6.
The movement of rocks and weathered materials is called_________.
a)
Chemistry
b)
Physical
c)
Weathering
d)
Erosion
7.
Topsoil which contains the HUMUS is the soil layer best for growing plants.
a)
True
b)
False
8.
There is an unlimited supply of fertile soil.
a)
True
b)
False
9.
Which of the following is NOT one of the three types of soil?
a)
clay
b)
sand
c)
silt
d)
mud
10.
_______ is the type of soil used most often with plants and on farms. It is a mixture of clay, sand, and silt.
a)
loam
b)
humus
c)
soil
d)
dirt
11.
Ellen grabs a topsoil sample in her hand. She rolls it into a ball. The soil feels gritty and the ball falls apart. What part of the topsoil most likely made the topsoil feel gritty?
a)
clay
b)
sand
c)
silt
d)
humus
12.
You dig a small hole in the soil and the next day it rains. The hole fills with water, but does not empty even after several days of dry weather. What is the soil mostly made of?
a)
clay
b)
sand
c)
humus
d)
silt
13.
Many plants cannot grow in sandy soil. Why is this true?
a)
Sandy soil does not hold enough water.
b)
Air cannot pass through sandy soil.
c)
Roots cannot easily push through sandy soil.
d)
Sandy soil has too many nutrients.
14.
How can you tell the difference between two minerals?
a)
By their streak test and hardness
b)
By their color only
c)
By their grain size
d)
By where they were found
15.
Which word means to rot or decompose?
a)
Decay
b)
Fertile
c)
Growth
d)
Nutrients
16.
There are FOUR components of soil: water, air, organic material, and ________.
a)
conservation
b)
rock
c)
subsoil
d)
loamy
17.
What is HUMUS made from?
a)
Chick-Peas
b)
The remains of decayed plants and animals
c)
Beans
d)
Cheese
18.
All soils begin with what process?
a)
Nutrients
b)
Subsoil
c)
Weathering
d)
Fertile
19.
Fertile soil is rich in _________.
a)
Conservation
b)
Bedrock
c)
Water
d)
Nutrients
20.
This type of soil is carried by water and left as sediment.
a)
bedrock
b)
loam
c)
silt
d)
clay
100 %
