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QUIZsoil

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 12mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Why is sandy soil not the best choice for growing plants?

a)

The particles in sand are packed too tightly.

b)

The particles in sand are packed too loosely.

c)

Water cannot drain through sand and plants rot.

d)

Sand has zero nutrients and minerals.

2.

Soil is made up of particles that are spaced tightly together or far apart. What are these particles?

a)

Roots, stems, and leaves

b)

Tiny pieces of rock, minerals, and nutrients

c)

minerals, roots, and leaves

d)

pieces of rock and organic matter

3.

If you wanted to learn more about the soil composition in a particular area, what would you need to do?

a)

Dig up a large enough soil profile ranging from the surface to the underlying rock.

b)

Identify the soil horizon by viewing layer A that's closest to the surface.

c)

Dig up a small sample known for further testing.

d)

Identify the soil classification by viewing the plants and trees growing in the area.

4.

Which of the following terms is used to describe a layer of the soil profile?

a)

Soil horizon

b)

Silt layer

c)

Soil aggregate

d)

Granulation

5.

Type of soil that can become as hard as stone when it dries out.

a)

Clay

b)

Silt

c)

Sand

d)

Loam

6.

What are the three main layers in a soil profile?

a)

Minerals, humus, and air

b)

Organic matter, parent material, bedrock

c)

Topsoil, subsoil, and parent material

d)

Clay, Silt, Sand

7.

Soil is formed by the breaking up of rocks into tiny pieces.

a)

True

b)

False

8.

What horizon is characterized by humus mixed with mineral and rock fragments?

a)

O

b)

A

c)

B

d)

C

9.

What horizon is characterized by recognizable pieces of bed rock in various stages of weathering

a)

O

b)

A

c)

B

d)

C

10.

Which layer in a soil profile would be most affected by weathering & erosion

a)

O

b)

A

c)

B

d)

C

11.

Which of the following is NOT the type of soil?

a)

Sand

b)

Silt

c)

Clay

d)

Mud

12.

It is a mixture of clay, sand, and silt

a)

Loam

b)

Humus

c)

Organic matter

d)

Mud

13.

Ellen grabs a topsoil sample in her hand. She rolls it into a ball. The soil feels gritty and the ball falls apart. What is most likely the composition of the topsoil?

a)

Sand

b)

Silt

c)

Clay

d)

Loam

14.

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)

Silt

c)

Sand

d)

Loam

15.

Based on the glass jar soil test, which soil is the heaviest and fell to the bottom of the container?

a)

Sand

b)

Silt

c)

Clay

d)

Loam

16.

How can the type of bedrock under soil affect the characteristics of the soil?

a)

by preventing soil erosion

b)

by contributing small rock particles to the soil

c)

by absorbing excessive rainwater

d)

by providing surface area for nutrient accumulation

17.

Decayed organic material in soil is called______.

a)

Humus

b)

Litter

c)

Debris

d)

Minerals

18.

Look at the following data table and label each soil horizon using the descriptions.

a)

Beaker 1 = Bedrock Beaker 2 = Horizon C (parent material) Beaker 3 = Horizon B (subsoil) Beaker 4 = Horizon A (topsoil)

b)

Beaker 1 = Horizon C (parent material) Beaker 2 = Horizon B (subsoil) Beaker 3 = Horizon A (topsoil) Beaker 4 = Bedrock

c)

Beaker 1 = Bedrock Beaker 2 = Horizon A (topsoil) Beaker 3 = Horizon B (subsoil) Beaker 4 = Horizon C (parent material)

d)

Beaker 1 = Bedrock Beaker 2 = Horizon B (subsoil) Beaker 3 = Horizon A (topsoil) Beaker 4 = Horizon C (parent material)

19.

If your soil sample from your garden has 25% sand, 40% silt and 35%. What is the type of the soil?

a)

clay loam

b)

sandy clay

c)

clay

d)

loam

20.

If your soil sample has 35% sand,40% silt and 25% clay, identify the soil type using the soil texture triangle above

a)

clay loam

b)

silt loam

c)

silt

d)

loam