WorksheetsSoils Quiz #1 Review
Total questions: 70
Worksheet time: 1hrs 10mins
Which of the following is most likely to accumulate organic matter?
A horizon
B horizon
C horizon
E horizon
In regards to "texture", silt particles are...
.05 to 2.0mm in diameter
.05 to .2mm in diameter
.002 to .05mm in diameter
less than .002mm in diameter
T or F: Percent slope is always measured in the steepest direction at the site.
True
False
(BLANK) are usually fertile, but use and management may be limited because of floods or high water tables.
Flood Plain
Footslope
Terraces
Uplands
(BLANK) soil structures are significantly taller than they are wide.
Blocky
Granular
Prismatic
Platy
The presence of a C horizon within judging depth...
could be an indication of a younger soil profile.
could be an indication of a deep soil profile.
could be an indication of a well-developed soil profile.
none of the above.
T or F: About 20-50in of soil depth is enough for most crops to grow quite satisfactorily.
False
True
T or F: Regarding soil texture, textural classes are named strictly by percentages and not by influence of the particles.
True
False
An Ap horizon is likely
a tilled layer.
a layer of mostly organic material.
right above the C or R horizon.
hard bedrock.
T or F: Terraces must follow the exact contour of the land.
True
False
This soil structure is common in E horizons.
Blocky
Granular
Prismatic
Platy
The A horizon is distinguished from the B horizon based on...
Color
Texture
Structure
All of the above
This soil order is characterized by an A horizon underlain by a C horizon (no B horizon).
Vertisol
Mollisol
Alfisol
Entisol
The E horizon is...
higher in organic matter.
lighter in color.
contains less clay than the A horizon or the overlying horizon.
both B and C.
Redox features in the B horizon:
consist of spots of concentrations of one or more contrasting colors.
indicate concentrations of various compounds of iron in the soil
indicate concentrations of various compounds of manganese in the soil.
all of the above are correct concerning redox features in the B horizon.
The largest amount of organic matter is most likely to accumulate in the:
A horizon
B horizon
C horizon
R horizon
The water holding capacity of a soil is affected by soil texture. As the size of the soil particles decreases the total water-holding capacity:
decreases
increases
is not affected
remains the same
A 3% slope is described as:
nearly level
gently sloping
moderately sloping
strongly sloping
Colors caused by poor internal drainage class (redox features):
can easily change if drained.
can easily be seen in the A horizon.
are defined by Munsell chromas 3 or higher.
will be visible even in a drought year.
In regards to texture, silt particles are:
.05-2.0mm in diameter
.05-.2mm in diameter
.002-.05mm in diameter
less than .002mm in diameter
The accumulation of clay in the subsoil is due to...
glacial deposits.
decomposition of minerals and organic matter.
the material from which soil is developed.
the effect of water moving clay from the upper profile.
Soils that form little or no ribbon when texturing, and that are low in sand are:
coarse
moderately coarse
medium
moderately fine
fine
The field test method of determining soil texture is called:
ribbon test
soil testing
hazard test
kneading test
Calculate the slope of a hill when in 80ft of run the elevation drops 10ft.
6%
8%
9.5%
12.5%
What type of landscape position can be subject to erosion, but doesn't receive stream deposits because they are too high in the landscape to be flooded?
Drainageways
Floodplains
Terraces
Uplands
A soil that is fertile but hard to work because it is sticky and has a plastic feel when when, but hard when dry, may have low permeability to air and water, and high resistance to root penetration. This soil likely has a dominant texture of?
loam
sand
silt
clay
Soil judging consists of:
evaluating certain properties of soil and interpreting these evaluations in to recommendations for land use
evaluating differences in soils to determine limitations and best conservation practices
estimating soil features, land capabilities. and productivity to identify the limitations of a site
classifying soils based on its properties and making recommendations for production and building sites
Which influences soil color?
moisture status
clay/clay coatings
drainage class
degree of weathering
all of the above
Which landscape position is considered the floodplain of the stream and collects overflow water:
bottomland
intermittent drainageway
footslope
terrace
Which slope would be considered nearly level?
0-2%
2-5%
5-9%
9-14%
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the A horizon?
has the most biological acitivity
contains the most plant roots
accumulates the most organic matter
has the lightest color
Which of the following leads to the dark color of the A horizon?
a lack of vegetative growth to use up the nutrients
slow decay of plant material and animal material
lack of moisture in the soil
lack of fertility
Equal percentages of sand, silt and clay would result in what textural group?
fine
moderately fine
medium
moderately coarse
coarse
High clay content can be determined by:
long ribbon and sticky feel
sticky and flour-like feel
long ribbon plus grit
putty-like consistency and soft feel
sticky plus loose consistency
Which of the following is NOT a step or a portion of a step in the procedure for determining the textural class of the soil:
look at the soil to see whether it appears to be sandy, silty, or aggregated into groups of masses of particles
examine the color to determine the nutrient content of the soil.
moisten a sample of the soil to make it as plastic (formable like putty or molding clay) as possible.
squeeze the moist soil between your thumb and forefinger, and try to flatten it into a thing ribbon.
All of the above.
Texture of the B horizon influences which of the following properties:
resistance to root penetration.
support for buildings.
soil structure.
permeability to air and water.
all of the above.
(BLANK) increases absorption and retention of moisture and nutrients for plant growth, enhances structural development and stability of soil aggregates, and generally improves soil quality.
Bedrock
Organic matter
Soil moisture
Vegetation
None of the above
What landscape position would be characterized as having strata and lenses of different textures in the profile?
Upland
Footslope
Terrace
Bottomland
Slope is an important characteristic in regards to the inherent potential of land. Slopes can be gentle, steep, short, or long and smooth or variable. All of these characteristics influence..
soil development.
erosion.
land use.
runoff.
all of the above.
The upper part of the soil usually contains...
the most plant roots.
the lightest color.
the accumulation of organic matter.
Both A & C are the correct answer.
A, B and C are all correct.
In comparison to the overlying horizon, if present, and E horizon is usually:
darker in color.
higher in organic matter.
higher in clay content.
all of the above.
none of the above.
The proportions of sand, silt and clay in soil determines its:
aggregates
structure
crystallization
texture
none of the above
When compared to the A horizon, typically the B's texture has a:
higher proportion of clay.
higher proportion of silt.
higher proportion of sand.
higher proportion of organic matter.
lesser proportion of water.
Uniform brown or dark brown or strong brown colors of the B horizon indicate:
well aerated conditions.
poor natural drainage.
poor root penetration.
highly fertile soils.
high clay content.
The properties of (BLANK) tend to be strongly expressed compared to the amount present.
grains
sand
silt
clay
Which landscape position could pose a limitation for houses with basements due to flooding?
Upland
Footslope
Terrace
Bottomland
Which of the following is true regarding soil horizons?
The A horizon is darker in color and has more organic matter.
The B horizon is darker in color and has more organic matter.
The A horizon is higher in clay content and has a more dense structure.
The B horizon is higher in clay content and contains the most plant roots.
None of the above.
Landscape position is one aspect of evaluating the surface features of a certain tract of land. Identifying the correct landscape position will indicate:
if the soil is subject to flooding.
if the soil is subject to erosion.
if the soil is capable of producing corn and soybeans.
A and B.
A, B and C.
What characteristic of the would have the greatest impact on the rate in which water moves through the soil profile?
The color of the B horizon
The native vegetation
The texture of the B horizon
The landscape position
All of the above
An organic layer is designated as (BLANK) under the new system of naming soil horizons.
O
O1
O2
OA
A soil that is too wet in the spring...
helps to develop and maintain a deep root system.
often aggravates drought problems in the summer.
often helps the soils to stay wet during a summer drought.
will still be too wet in the fall for harvest.
The E horizon is all of the following except:
lighter in color than A
lower in organic matter than A
contains significantly more clay than A
found in forest soils and other intensely leached soils
A slope of 8% would be called:
nearly level
gently sloping
moderately sloping
strongly sloping
The R horizon is:
subsoil
organic matter
bedrock
none of the above
The landscape position most likely to accumulate alluvial material is:
Terrace
Intermittent drainageway
Upland
Bottomland
Which of the following is not a true statement about a soil profile?
It is a list of characteristics of a soil group.
It is a vertical section through the layers that make up the soil.
It extends down through the soil and plant root zones.
It may be as shallow as a fraction of an inch.
Usually the most fertile soil is found in the:
A horizon
B horizon
C horizon
R horizon
A clinometer is a measuring device used to measure:
soil depth
soil texture
soil residue
slope
A vertical section exposing the various layers of soil is called a:
Soil Profile
Soil Horizon
Soil tier
None of the above
As the size of the soil particle decreases, the water holding capacity of the soil:
decreases
increases
remains the same
particle size does not affect water holding capacity
E horizons are usually found in what type of soils?
Intensely leached soils
Prairie soils
Forested soils
Both A and C
This landscape position is a former flood plain that no longer floods and is usually fertile.
Upland
Intermittent drainageway
Foot slope
Terrace
When doing a ribbon test, a "gritty" feel would mean the soil contains:
Gravel
Clay
Silt
Sand
Which soil horizon is most like the parent material?
A
B
C
None of the above
Which of the following factors influences the formation of soil?
Climate
Parent Material
Time
All of the above
Some young soils do not have a:
A horizon
B horizon
C horizon
Both A and C.
Soil horizons can be distinguished because the differ in properties such as:
hardness
structure
color
all of the above
What is the greatest influencing factor on soil texture:
Parent material
Organic matter
Moisture
Lime
If a soil had the following horizons present in the profile: A,B,C,R and E, what would be the correct order of the horizons from the surface to the base of the profile?
A,B,C,E,R
E,A,B,C,R
A,E,C,B,R
A,E,B,C,R
Redox features, or mottles, contain various compounds of:
Boron
Calcium
Iron
Iodine
