a mixture of sand, silt, clay, rock, and humus (plant and animal remains)
soil
How is soil formed?
Sediment, plants, and animals decomposing and breaking down
the breakdown of rocks into very small particles by gravity, water, wind, and ice
Weathering
to rot and break down the remains of plants and animals into smaller pieces
decomposition
the rapid, downward slide of rocks and mud
landslide
a mixture of hot rocks, ash, and gas from deep inside Earth that explodes or seeps through a crack in Earth’s surface
Volcanic eruption
What is the outermost covering or layer of the Earth called?
surface
a sudden release of energy under Earth’s surface that makes the ground shake or crack
Earthquake
If you were collecting soil at home, how would you find different types of soil?
- Dig in different areas of your yard
Change to Earth’s surface that occurs in a short period of time
Rapid change
a solid piece of Earth’s surface
Sediment
What would you see if you used a magnifying glass to look up close at soil you collected from outside?
- insects
- plants
- rocks
- soil particles
What does clay soil feel like when wet?
- Sticky
- Soapy
A student wears gloves and eye goggles for safety when performing an experiment with baking soda and vinegar. Which of the following quick changes to land is this experiment modeling?
A. A landslide
B. A volcano
C. A hurricane
D. An earthquake
B. A volcano
How are glaciers and landslides similar?
Glaciers break off taking sediment with it. Landslides pick sediment up and deposit it somewhere else too.
How do plants use soil to help them grow?
Plants roots soak up water nutrients to grow
A large amount of Earth’s surface suddenly moving down a steep slope.
Landslide
An opening in Earth’s surface exploding with lava
Volcano
The plates of Earth’s surface pushing past eachother
Earthquake
In which number location will the volcano create a new Earth’s surface?
5 - because lava will cool and harden into igneous rock
In which location is the soil formation process shown?
Soil is formed when rocks break down and organisms decay
If a student took a bottle of water and quickly poured it at the top of the slope what would happen?
A landslide would make the soil go to the bottom
