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Properties of Soil

Total questions: 25

Worksheet time: 25mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What property of soil could be tested by rubbing soil between fingers?

a)

color

b)

ability to retain water

c)

weathering

d)

texture

2.

Which type of soil can hold the greatest amount of water?

a)

sand

b)

silt

c)

clay

d)

loam

3.

A student wanted to investigate which type of soil retains the most water.  She put 200 mL of water in each type of soil and measured how much water came through the soil after 1 hour.  The results are shown above.  
According to the diagram above, which soil retains the least amount of water?

a)

Red Soil

b)

Clay Soil

c)

Sandy Soil

d)

Black Soil

4.

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.

5.

How do you find the texture of soil?

a)

use a spring scale

b)

observe color of particles

c)

rub particles between fingers

d)

taste particles

6.

What property of soils is the student most likely examining with this procedure?

a)

F The differences in texture between wet and dry soils

b)

G How well different soils retain water

c)

H How much water is needed to dissolve different soils

d)

J The amount of time it takes different soils to dry

7.

Which sample can hold more water right or left? Why

a)

The soil on the left because it has less texture.

b)

The soil on the right because it has more texture.

c)

The soil on the left because it has larger particles.

d)

The soil on the right because it has smaller particles

8.

Which soil sample retains the most water?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

9.

To test which type of soil best supports plant life, which variable should be the one to change? 

a)

the type of soil used

b)

the type of seed planted

c)

the type of soil used and the type of seed planted

d)

the amount of sunlight

10.

When plants, animals, and other organisms die, they break down and become part of the soil. What is this part of the soil called?

a)

sand

b)

silt

c)

clay

d)

humus

11.

What are the properties of clay?

a)

smooth

b)

gritty

c)

gray

d)

holds water

12.

If Carol poured 500 mL of water into the soil and 400 mL can now be found in the jar, then the other 100 mL must have been-

a)

retained

b)

drained

c)

lost in space

d)

in the bathroom sink

13.

A component of soil made of very tiny grains; sticky and soft when wet but turns hard when dry.

a)

Clay

b)

Sand

c)

Topsoil

d)

Gravel

14.

A component of soil made of small pieces of rock, pebbles, and usually has a smooth texture.

a)

Clay

b)

Sand

c)

Topsoil

d)

Gravel

15.

To hold inside, as soil does with water

a)

Gather

b)

Retain

c)

Fill

d)

Measure

16.

A component of soil made by the weathering of rocks into tiny grains; has a rough and gritty texture.

a)

Clay

b)

Sand

c)

Topsoil

d)

Gravel

17.

A mixture of sand, silt, clay, rock, and humus (plant and animal remains)

a)

Clay

b)

Sand

c)

Soil

d)

Gravel

18.

The top layer of soil

a)

Clay

b)

Sand

c)

Topsoil

d)

Gravel

19.

A sieve is a container with very small holes in the bottom that are all the same size. What would this tool be useful for?

a)

Sorting soil by particle size

b)

Finding the mass of soil

c)

Growing plants in soil

d)

Determining soil color.

20.

Which soil texture has the greatest ability to support life on this farm?

a)

Clay

b)

Silt

c)

Sand

d)

Silt-Sand

21.

What is the main component of soil that affects its ability to retain water?

a)

Sand

b)

Silt

c)

Clay

d)

Gravel

22.

Which property of soil is most important for supporting plant growth?

a)

Color

b)

Texture

c)

Nutrient content

d)

Temperature

23.

How does the pH level of soil affect plant growth?

a)

It determines the soil's color

b)

It affects the availability of nutrients

c)

It changes the soil's texture

d)

It influences the soil's temperature

24.

What experiment can be conducted to determine the permeability of different soil types?

a)

Measuring the soil's pH level

b)

Observing plant growth in different soils

c)

Testing how quickly water drains through soil

d)

Analyzing the soil's color

25.

Which soil property is tested by adding water and observing how long it takes to drain?

a)

Permeability

b)

Texture

c)

Nutrient content

d)

pH level