Soil Components
What is soil mostly made of?
tiny bits of rocks
What do we call the process of turning kitchen scraps into soil?
composting
What happens to dry soil when you add water?
It becomes wet or muddy
Name a common worm that lives in soil.
Earthworm
Name a type of rock found in soil.
sand, gravel
Which soil component helps plants grow by providing nutrients?
humus
Name one food item that’s good for composting.
Fruit peels
Which type of soil dries out quickly, sand or clay?
sand
Which small insect, often called a “bug,” helps break down dead plants in soil?
Beetles
True or False: Air can be found in soil.
True
Which soil layer is best for growing plants?
Topsoil
True or False: Plastic can go into a compost pile
False
When soil gets too much water, what happens to the plants?
They can drown or die.
What tiny living things help decompose materials in the soil?
Fungi and bacteria
What nonliving thing in soil helps plants get water and nutrients
minerals
What component in soil helps it hold water?
Clay
What tiny organisms help break down materials in a compost pile?
Bacteria
What do we call the spaces in soil that hold water?
Holes, pores
Name a small animal that burrows in the soil and helps mix it up.
mole
What do we call the pieces of old plants and animals that are no longer alive, but still in soil?
organic matter