Living Soil
Soil Texture
Soil Type
Soil Composition & Chemistry
Soil Minerals & Nutrients
100
These tiny living things in soil eat, excrete waste, die, and decompose.
What is Microorganisms?
100
This is the largest of the three soil particle sizes, measuring from 0.05 to 2 mm.
What is sand?
100
This is what scientists use to determine the type of soil by showing the proportions of different particle sizes.
What is the soil triangle?
100
This type of material in soil is nonliving and includes minerals and rock particles that help determine soil type.
What is inorganic material?
100
Soil needs these three physical components to support plant growth: inorganic material, organic material, and this essential component that provides nutrients.
What are minerals?
200
This term describes soil that has been built back up after years of intensive farming.
What is Amended?
200
This soil particle is less than 0.002 mm and can help soil hold nutrients.
What is clay?
200
This is the classification of soil determined by the proportions of sand, silt, and clay it contains.
What is soil type?
200
This is the organic component of soil that includes decomposing plant material and living organisms.
What is soil organic matter (SOM)?
200
Known as the “king of nutrients,” this mineral is needed to make chlorophyll and is a key component of amino acids.
What is nitrogen?
300
This commercial or organic product is added to feed depleted soil.
What is Fertilizer?
300
This soil particle falls between sand and clay in size and is associated with dusty soil that is prone to erosion when dry.
What is silt?
300
Before plotting the information on a soil triangle, scientists must determine the proportions of these three soil textures.
What is clay, sand and silt?
300
This stable form of organic matter is formed as organic materials decompose in the soil.
What is humus?
300
This nutrient is vital for plant growth and cell division. Without it, plant growth slows down.
What is phosphorus?
400
This blend of decomposed leaves, kitchen scraps, and lawn clippings makes rich, dark, earthy-smelling soil.
What is Compost?
400
This soil type combines about 40% sand, 40% silt, and 20% clay and holds a good amount of moisture and nutrients.
What is loam?
400
Using the soil triangle this type of soil would be 60% clay, 30% silt and 10% sand.
What is clay soil?
400
This measurement describes how acidic or alkaline soil is and can affect the availability of nutrients.
What is pH?
400
This nutrient helps transport water, nutrients, and carbohydrates throughout plants and is important for energy production.
What is potassium?
500
This is what compost helps roots do by letting air in.
What is Aerate?
500
This process can carry away soil, and silt-heavy soil is especially prone to it.
What is erosion?
500
Using the soil triangle this type of soil has 20% clay, 40% sand and 40% silt.
What is loam?
500
Soil with a pH lower than 7 is described by this term.
What is acidic?
500
This group of seven minerals includes boron, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc, which plants need in very small amounts.
What are micronutrients?