Earth’s Changing Surface
Chapter 2 (Section 3 DRW) The Source of Soil
Name: _________________________ Section: 6-______
Match the correct description with the correct term. Write the letter in the space
provided. (Pg. 39)
1. ____ soil that is blown or washed away from its parent rock
2. ____ the layer of rock beneath the soil
3. ____ a loose mixture of small mineral fragments, organic material, water,
and air that can support the growth of vegetation
4. ____ the rock formation that is the source of mineral fragments in the soil
5. ____ soil that remains above its parent rock
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
soil
transported soil
residual soil
parent rock
bedrock
6. The organic material formed in soil from the decayed remains of plants and animals is
called h __ __ __ __.
7. Because of the way soil forms, soil often ends up in a series of horizontal layers called
_____________________. (Pg. 40)
8. The top layer of soil, often called ________________________ , usually contains
more humus than the layers below it.
9. The removal of substances that can be dissolved from rock and soil due to water
passing through is called L_______________________.
Match the correct description with the correct term. Write the letter in the space
provided. (Pgs. 41 & 42)
10. ____ climate with low temperatures and slow soil formation, resulting in thin
soil that cannot support many plants
11. ____ climate with heavy rains that leaches precious nutrients from the
topsoil
12. ____ climate with enough rain to cause a high level of chemical weathering,
but not so much that the nutrients are leached out of the soil
13. ____ climate with less than 25 cm of rain per year and low ability to support
plant and animal life
f. Desert
g. Temperate
h. Tropical
i.
Arctic
14. Lush plant growth takes large amounts of nutrients from the soil in a
T________________ climate.
15. When dead plants decay quickly in warm soil, they produce rich _____________.
16. Tropical soils are generally poor and thin due to L___________________.
17. Toxic levels of salt are sometimes found in the soil of a ______________ climate.
18. The most productive soil in the world can be found in _______________ climates.
19. A combination of low temperature and little precipitation in a(n) _______________
climate often means plants and animals decompose slowly or not at all and limits the
amount of nutrients that become part of the soil.