Download Chapter 8: The Lithosphere, Hydrosphere, and Atmosphere Lesson

Chapter 8: The Lithosphere, Hydrosphere, and Atmosphere
Lesson 6: What makes up soil?
I.
Soil Formation (pg. 321)
a.
Soil: mixture of nonliving materials and decayed materials from organisms
b. Weathering: slow, destructive process that breaks rocks into sediments
c. What animals make their home in the soil? earthworms and chipmunks
d. What are some causes of weathering? freezing/melting water, plant roots, chemicals in rain and snow
II.
Parts of Soil (pp. 322-323)
a.
Organic Matter
i. Organic matter: all living material and materials that were once alive
ii. Humus: the decaying material in the soil
iii. What living materials are in organic matter? bacteria, fungi, worms, and insects
iv. What does humus do? makes spaces in soil for air and water
b. Inorganic Matter
i. Inorganic matter: all the nonliving materials in the soil
ii. What are the inorganic materials in soil? water, air, and pieces of rock and minerals
c. Layers of Soil
i. What are the three layers of soil? topsoil, subsoil, and bedrock
ii. Why is topsoil crumbly and dark brown? it is made mostly of humus
iii. What does subsoil contain? many minerals and small rocks
iv. What will bedrock eventually become? sediments in soil
III.
Kinds of Soil (pg. 324)
a.
Why might clay look red? it has iron particles
b. How does silt feel when it is wet? slippery but not sticky
c. What is the most common mineral in sand? quartz
IV.
Factors That Affect Soil (pg. 325)
a.
What two factors affect how soil forms? climate and rock type
b. What affects how fast or slow soil forms? temperature and weather in a climate