Soil Properties
Soil Horizons
Soil Formation Factors
Important Vocabulary
Weathering
100

NAME THE PROPERTY:

Describes how yellow, brown, or red the soil is

COLOR

100

Layer below the O - Horizon that is full of organic roots, great for plant growth, and usually a darker color

A - HORIZON

100

Describes all of the organisms that live in a region

BIOTA

100
Type of weathering that occurs when physical processes naturally breaks rocks into smaller pieces

MECHANICAL WEATHERING

100

Type of mechanical weathering that describes the grinding away of rock by friction or impact

ABRASION

200

NAME THE PROPERTY:

Describes the hardness or softness of a soil

CONSISTENCY

200

The layer of weathered parent material that is made of rocks and sediments

C - HORIZON
200

describes the starting material of soil

PARENT MATERIAL

200

Describes the space between the particles of soil

PORES

200

Warmer temperatures causes weathering to...

INCREASE / DECREASE

INCREASE

300

NAME THE PROPERTY:

Measures the ability of a soil to support plant growth

FERTILITY

300

The top organic layer

O - HORIZON

300

Determines the age of a soil

TIME

300

Describes the changes that occur to materials over time on Earth's surface by breaking down rock into smaller pieces.

WEATHERING

300

Rocks with a larger surface area cause weathering to...

INCREASE / DECREASE

INCREASE

400
NAME THE PROPERTY:

Measures the amount of water in a soil's pores

SOIL MOISTURE

400

The layer of soil that forms from rain seeping through the A - Horizon's pores, and is full of clay particles

B - HORIZON

400
Describes the average weather of an area, including the amount of rain that occurs and the temperature

CLIMATE

400

The process of changing once living material into dark-colored organic matter

DECOMPOSITION

400

Type of mechanical weathering that describes the process of water entering cracks of rocks, freezing, and widening the crack.

ICE WEDGING

500

NAME THE PROPERTY:

Describes how fast water enters a soil

INFILTRATION

500

The bottom, unweathered bedrock layer

R - HORIZON

500

Describes the shape and steepness of the landscape

TOPOGRAPHY

500

Type of chemical weathering where elements combine with oxygen to cause corrosion / rust

OXIDATION

500

Type of weathering that describes changing parts of a rock into a new material

CHEMICAL WEATHERING

M
e
n
u