Round 1
What is the best description of clay?
A. it is dark brown, light and fluffy
B. it is tan and gritty
C. it is reddish brown and sticks together when wet
D. it is grey, fine and powdery
C. it is reddish brown and sticks together when wet
Half of the groups in a class got the same results when doing a water retention experiment. The other half got the same results but were different from the other half of the class. What should they do to increase the reliability of the experiment?
A. Put a different amount of water in each soil
B. Do the experiment faster or slower
C. repeat the investigation many times
D. Use only one type of soil
C. repeat the investigation many times
What do nutrients do?
A. help the plant's roots absorb water
B. helps hold the roots in place
C. helps the plant grow
D. protects the plants from predators
C. helps the plant grow
Which soil would produce the least amount of puddles?
A. clay
B. gravel
C. sand
D. loam
B. gravel-because the water flows through quickly leaving no water on the surface
Why is loam the best soil to use for growing plants?
A. it retains the perfect amount of water for plants to use
B. the roots can grab on to the soil
C. it contains humus and other minerals and nutrients
D. all of the above
D. all of the above
Which shows the soils in order from smallest particle to largest particle.
A. clay, loam, sand, silt, gravel
B. clay, silt, sand, loam, gravel
C. silt, clay, loam, sand, gravel
D. silt, clay, sand, loam, gravel
B. clay, silt, sand, loam, gravel
Water retention is soil's ability to:
A. help plants grow big and strong
B. hold water
C. get nutrients
D. decompose organisms
B. hold water
Which type of soil would produce the most puddles?
A. clay
B. gravel
C. sand
D. loam
A. clay
Another student poured some water over a different soil sample, but most of the water remained on top of the soil. What can you conclude?
A. the soil was mostly gravel
B. the soil was mostly clay
C. the soil was mostly loam
D. the soil was mostly sand
B. the soil was mostly clay
True or False:
Soil can be recycled.
True: soil can be used over and over again
Which type of soil, would water pass through the fastest?
A. loam
B. silt
C. clay
D. gravel
D. gravel
What is the top layer of soil called?
A. humus
B. bedrock
C. topsoil
D. clay
C. topsoil
A student poured some water through a soil sample and it quickly came out of the bottom of the pot. What can you conclude?
A. the soil sample was mostly loam
B. the soil sample was mostly silt
C. the soil sample was mostly sand
D. the soil sample was mostly clay
C. the soil sample was mostly sand
List all the letters that show things that are good for the soil.
A. pesticides
B. fertilizers
C. terracing/strip farming
D. planting trees and bushes to block the wind
E. adding worms
F. tearing down old buildings
G. putting up new buildings
H. crop rotation
I. adding crushed rocks for minerals
C. terracing/strip farming
D. planting trees and bushes to block the wind
E. adding worms
H. crop rotation
I. adding crushed rocks for minerals
True or False:
All plants need the same kind of soil to grow.
False, different plants need different soils depending on their locations and environments.
The size of the soil's particles has to do with its:
A. odor
B. energy
C. texture
D. color
C. texture: it's size affects what it feels like
Which is the process in which plants make their own food?
A. migration
B. photosynthesis
C. water retention
D. decomposition
B. photosynthesis
Write the letters of ALL the things a tree needs in order to grow.
A. oxygen
B. carbon dioxide
C. room to grow
D. clay
E. nutrients
F. gravel
G. sunlight
H. water
B carbon dioxide, C. room to grow, E. nutrients, G. sunlight, H. water.
Which type of soil has the smallest particles?
A. silt
B. clay
C. sand
D. loam
B. clay
Which is NOT true of sand:
A. it is tan/beige
B. it is made of broken down pieces of rock
C. it has the largest particles of the soil types
D. it is rough and gritty
C. it has the largest particles of the soil types
The job of decomposers is to:
A. avoid predators
B. pollute the soil
C. break down dead plants and animals
D. produce chlorophyll
C. break down dead plants and animals
Which soil is the easiest for plant roots to absorb water and nutrients?
A. loam
B. clay
C. gravel
D. sand
A. loam: loam is the best for growing plants
Which part of the soil has decaying material (dead plants and animals)?
A. sand
B. humus
C. clay
D. rock
B. humus
Which soil has the most humus?
A. clay
B. silt
c. sand
D. loam
D. loam
True or False:
We can help conserve and protect our soil.
True