The loose weathered material on Earth's surface in which plants can grow; made of rock/mineral fragments, humus, air, and water

An organism that gets energy by breaking down biotic wastes and dead organisms - returns raw materails to the soil

Dark colored organic material in soil

A measure of how well soil supports plant growth

The process that breaks down rock through CHEMICAL changes

The type of weathering in which rock is PHYSICALLY broken into smaller pieces

Rich, fertile soil that is made of equal parts of clay, sand, and silt

The process by which water, ice, wind, or gravity moves weathered particles of rock and/or soil

Process by which sediment is laid down (dropped) into new locations

The sliding of huge amounts of rocks and sediments down a hill or mountain

Solid layer of rock beneath the soil

A mound of sand deposited by wind erosion

A large mass of ice that moves slowly over land

The layer of soil below the topsoil that has less humus

The crumbly, topmost layer of soil made of clay, minerals, and humus