Its made up of particles of rocks and minerals, air, water, and humus.
100
What are the three layers of soil?
Topsoil, subsoil, and bedrock
100
How can soil be?
It can be fertile, poor, or arid
100
What do rocks make up?
They make up the solid part of the Earth.
100
What are fossils?
Are the preserved remains of animals or plants that lived on Earth long time ago
200
What are the remains of dead plants and animals called?
The humus
200
Describe the topsoil
This soft layer contains roots, insects and other tiny living things, such as bacteria and fungi.
200
Describe fertile soil. Where can we find this soil?
Soil has lots of humus and water. Many plants can grow well in this type of soil. There is fertile soil in deciduous temperate forests.
200
What are minerals?
They are the materials rocks are made of
200
What is the soil ecosystem?
The plants and animals that live in the soil interact with each other.
300
Where can we find soil?
We can find soil in the top layer of Earth
300
Describe the subsoil.
This layer has less water and air, very little humus, some small rocks, and the soil is hard.
300
Describe poor soil. Where can we find this type of soil?
Soil has little humus and water. It has more rocks than fertile roil. Only hardy plants, such as olive trees can grow in poor soil. There is poor soil in savannahs.
300
What does rare mean? How does this word relate to minerals?
Some minerals are difficult to find.
300
What is a type of rock we use as jewelry?
Diamond
400
How do decomposers help the soil?
They help turn the dead plants and animals into humus
400
Describe the bedrock.
This layer is very hard and is made up of bigger rocks. The bedrock has very little water and air.
400
Describe arid soil. Where can you find it?
Arid soil has very little humus and water. It has lots of rocks and sand. Only very hardy plants, such as cacti can grow in arid soil. There is arid soil in deserts.
400
Name 6 rocks and minerals.
Slate, granite, marble, gold, salt, copper.
400
What do fossils tell us? Where did scientists find the biggest dinosaur in Europe?
They can tell us a lot about life on Earth a very long time ago.
Spain.
500
What does the humus contain that helps plants?
It contains the nutrients that plants need to grow
500
How can we classify soil?
By the quantity of humus and water it contains.
500
What are the 6 colors soil can be? What does the color of the soil tell us? What does hardy mean?
Soil can be black, red, yellow, white, brown, or grey.
If soil is dark, this usually means that it has a lot of humus.
Hardy: resistant, strong.
500
Give an example of ways we use the 6 rocks and minerals.
Animals eat plants that grow in the soil.
Slugs and snails eat dead plants and animals. Birds and hedgehogs eat the slugs and snails.
Plant and animal remains and excrement turn into humus with the help of decomposers in the soil.
Tunnels made by worms and other animals allow air and water into the soil.
Animals shelter in the soil.