Soil Formation Worksheet

______ is a mixture of weathered rock & organic matter that usually covers _______ (solid rock that
underlies all soil). Both chemical & mechanical processes are involved in the development of soils.
1) __________ weathering turns hard minerals into soft ones
2) __________ weathering breaks solid rock into smaller pieces
3) ________________ add organic materials in the form of waste
products & dead organisms
4) The decay of ______________ produces acids which accelerate chemical
weathering
5) _______________, such as earthworms, insects, & rodents, help circulate
air and water through the soil & mix mineral & organic remains

The material from which soil forms is called its_____________. Soil that has weathered directly from
the bedrock beneath it and therefore matches its parent material is called _______________.
Soil that does not match the bedrock it is over is called ____________. It did not weather from the
bedrock beneath it but was brought there by agents of erosion such as winds, rivers, or glaciers.
A cross section of soil exposed by digging is called the
_____________. The weathering of soil produces layers known as soil
horizons. The topsoil or _________ is usually rich in dark-colored
organic remains called ________ (labeled O horizon below). The
subsoil or _________ contains minerals that have been transported
deeper by groundwater. Most of the clay in soil has also been
washed down to this layer. The partially weathered bedrock or
___________ is composed of broken up bedrock on top of the solid
bedrock (parent material).
____________ is the removal of topsoil by the action of running
water or wind. It takes between 100 & 400 years for one centimeter
of topsoil to form.

Soil Composition

Water
Air
Mineral
Organic Material

Loss of topsoil can be caused

when plants roots are no longer present to hold down soil. Salting
 roads can raise the salinity of the soil and kill the plants. Over
grazing can kill plants. Winds construction & mining can all effect
plant cover.
Means of soil conservation include the following:
1) __________ belts of trees along the edge of fields
2) _____________ crops are planted in rows parallel to land contours
3) __________ - flattening hill slopes to slow the flow of water & erosion
4) __________ a crop that leaves bare ground between rows is alternated
with a crop that completely covers the ground, ex. Corn & Alfalfa
5) ____________ - plowing, planting and fertilizing are all done at the same
time so there is less chance of wind removing topsoil

Soil Formation Worksheet Questions

(Point Form)
1. What does chemical weathering do?
_________________________________________________________________
2. What does mechanical weathering do?
_______________________________________________________________
3. What is soil? ___________________________________________________________________________________
4. What do plants and animals add to the soil?
___________________________________________________________
5. How does decay of organic matter change the soil?
_____________________________________________________
6. How do burrowing animals contribute to the soil?
______________________________________________________
7. What is the difference between:
a. Parent material: ___________________________________________________________________________
b. Residual Soil: _____________________________________________________________________________
c. Transported Soil: __________________________________________________________________________
9. The layers of soil are called _________________________.
10. A horizon is also known as __________________________.
11. O horizon is also known as ___________________________. Which is what?
________________________________
12. What is the problem with plants not being on the topsoil?
______________________________________________
13. What five things affect/kill the plant cover that helps stop erosion?
_______________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________.
14. The cross-section of soil exposed by digging is called ____________________________________.

15. What two things cause soil erosion? __________________________________________.

16. ______Which layer contains the most organic material?

a. A horizon B.B horizon C.C horizon D. the bedrock

17. ______Which layer contains the most clay?

a. A horizon B.B horizon C.C horizon D. the bedrock

18. _____Which layer contains broken up bedrock on top of the solid bedrock?
a. A horizon B.B horizon C.C horizon D. the bedrock

19. ______Which layer do you find the most minerals?

a. A horizon B.B horizon C.C horizon D. the bedrock

20. ______Approximately how many years does one centimeter of topsoil take to form?
a. 100 400 years B. 1000 4000 years C. 10 40 years D. 10,000 40,000 years

21. ______Which of the following is found in the greatest % in soil?

a. Mineral matter B. Organic matter C. Water D. Air

22. _____How is soil created from rock?

a. physical weathering without chemical weathering c. erosion without weathering
b. chemical weathering without physical weathering d. weathering without erosion

23. ______Which layer of a soil profile forms first from the bedrock?
a. A horizon B. B horizon C. C horizon D. humus

Matching
A. No Till Method B. Terraces C. Strip Cropping D. Windbreaks E. Contour Farming
24. ____ Crops that are planted in rows parallel to land contours
25. ____ A crop that leaves bare ground between row is alternated with a crop that completely covers
the ground
26. ____ Belts of trees along edges of fields
27. ____ Flattening hill slopes to slow the flow of water and erosion
28. ____ Plowing, planting and fertilizing are all done at the same time so there is less chance of wind
removing soil