Parts of Soil
Soil isn't just "dirt." It is made of water, air, minerals, and this type of "dead" material.
Organic Matter
Plants use their roots to stay in the ground. What is the word for how soil holds a plant up?
Support
Which wiggly animal is famous for "plowing" the soil and making tunnels for air and water?
the worm
Parent Material" is the "starting ingredient" for soil. What is it usually made of?
Rocks
This is the name of the student organization for middle and high schoolers interested in agriculture. (Hint: They wear blue jackets!)
FFA (Future Farmers of America).
Name the three sizes of soil particles from the biggest grain to the tiniest grain.
Sand, Silt, and Clay.
Soil acts like a giant "filter" for this liquid, cleaning it as it soaks through to the ground.
Water
When a plant dies, it rots and adds nutrients back to the soil. This process is called...?
Decomposition.
If you are at the very top of a steep, windy hill, will the soil be thick or thin?
Modern farmers use these flying "robots" to take pictures of their soil and crops from the sky.
Drones
If you dig a hole and see different layers of soil, what do scientists call those layers?
Horizons
Name two tiny organisms (microbes) that live in the soil and help break down dead things.
How do plant roots stop a hill from washing away during a rainstorm?
They hold the soil together
Topography is a fancy word for the "shape of the ____."
Land
This career involves studying soil in a lab to help farmers decide which nutrients to add to their fields.
Soil Scientists
Which soil particle is so small that it feels sticky when wet and holds the most water?
Clay
True or False: Soil provides vitamins and minerals (nutrients) that plants "eat" to stay healthy.
true
Animals like gophers and ants mix the soil. Why is "mixing" the soil good for it?
It brings nutrients from the bottom to the top and lets air in.
If the "Parent Rock" is very hard (like Granite), will it take a long time or a short time to turn into soil?
Long time
What does a "GPS" help a farmer do in a giant field?
Drive tractors in straight lines and map out where the soil is best.
What do we call the dark, nutrient-rich part of the soil formed by decayed leaves and insects?
Humus
How does soil help the Earth's atmosphere?
It stores gases like Carbon Dioxide so they don't go into the air.
What is a "Decomposer" and why is it the "MVP" (Most Valuable Player) of the soil?
An organism that breaks down dead matter into nutrients; without them, plants would run out of "food."
Why does soil at the bottom of a hill (the valley) usually have more nutrients than soil at the top?
Because gravity and water carry the rich topsoil down to the bottom and it piles up there.
If a farmer practices "Conservation Tillage," are they trying to save the water, the air, or the soil?
The Soil