Term
| Which of the 4 soil types is best for growing crops? |
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Definition
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Term
| Decaying organic matter in the soil is called |
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Definition
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Term
| Name 2 of the 4 properties of soil |
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Definition
| texture, color, chemistry/acidity, pore space |
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Term
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Definition
| decaying organic (came from living things) matter in the soil |
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Term
| Which soil horizon is made of mostly clay, silt and minerals washed down from above? |
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Definition
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Term
| Soil that has been maturing will look like what? |
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Definition
| Soil horizon C will have started to form |
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Term
| Soil horizon A has what ingredient in it that makes it darker than the other 2 horizons? |
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Definition
| humus, or organic stuff. It also has larger pore spaces and more living creatures in it. |
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Term
| Why do geologists not like the term dirt? |
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Definition
| Because it is vague,(not very exact) the correct term is "soil" |
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Term
True of False?
Soil that has been maturing for 100 years will have all 3 horizons. |
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Definition
| False, only horizons A and C will have formed. Soil horizon B forms last. |
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Term
| In Top soil there is about 20-30% of what ingredient? |
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Definition
Water
(alternate answer): air |
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Term
| About how much of the top soil is weathered rock particles? |
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Definition
| Most of it, over half, about 55% |
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Term
| 5% of topsoil is made of what ingredient? |
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Definition
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Term
| After 1,000 years of maturing, what does a soil profile look like? |
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Definition
| It will contain all 3 horizons but it will not be "mature" yet. (the layers will not have come to their final depth or thicknesses) |
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Term
| how long does it take for a soil profile to mature? |
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Definition
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Term
True or False?
Soil horizon C is made up of lightly weathered rock particles |
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Definition
| True, Soil horizon C has lots of big pointy rocks in it and little else. |
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Term
| Name one way that animals can affect the soil. |
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Definition
| By adding their droppings to the humus in the top soil, by burrowing into the soil, by eating the soil (worms) and making it more fertile with their "casts", By stirring up the soil to give it more pore space, by dying and becoming part of the humus |
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Term
| Naomi one way that animals can affect the soil |
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Definition
| By adding their droppings to the humus in the top soil, by burrowing into the soil, by eating the soil (worms) and making it more fertile with their "casts", By stirring up the soil to give it more pore space, by dying and becoming part of the humus |
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Term
| Name the order of soil horizon formation in a maturing soil profile from year 0 to 10,000 |
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Definition
| None, C forms, A forms, B forms, soil matures |
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Term
| One property of soil that makes it better to grow crops in is... |
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Definition
large pore space (it holds more water)
Not frozen or blowing away in the wind |
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Term
| The color of the soil is determined mostly by |
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Definition
The type of rock that makes the weathered rock particles in the soil,
How much humus is in the soil |
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Term
| A mountain slope is likely to have more topsoil or less top soil than a flat grassy plain? |
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Definition
| The grassy plain will have deaper topsoil |
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Term
| does climate have an effect on soil formation and composition? |
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Definition
| Yes! The 4 soil types are determined by climate: temperate, arctic, desert and tropical |
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Term
| What do microorganisms in the soil do to help us grow crops? |
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Definition
| hold it together, break down organic matter into humus, add Nitrogen back into the soil so that plants can grow well |
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