Name ______________________________ Class ___________________ Date __________________
Skills Worksheet
Directed Reading 10.3 (pages 288 – 293)
Section: From Bedrock to Soil
THE SOURCE OF SOIL
Match the correct description with the correct term. Write the letter in the space
provided.
_____ 1. soil that is blown or washed away from its
parent rock
a. soil
b. transported
soil
c. residual soil
d. parent rock
e. bedrock
_____ 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
SOIL PROPERTIES
Match the correct description with the correct term. Write the letter in the space
provided.
a.
b.
c.
d.
_____ 6. soil quality that is based on the proportions of
soil particles
_____ 7. soil’s ability to hold nutrients and to supply
nutrients to a plant
soil texture
soil structure
soil fertility
infiltration
_____ 8. ability of water to move through the soil
_____ 9. arrangement of soil particles
10. The organic material formed in soil from the decayed remains of plants and
animals is called .______________________
11. Because of the way soil forms, soil often ends up in a series of horizontal
layers called .______________________
12. The top layer of soil, often called ______________________, usually contains
more humus than the layers below it.
13. The removal of substances that can be dissolved from rock and soil due to
water passing through is called ______________________.
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
Holt Science and Technology
6
Weathering and Soil Formation
Name ______________________________ Class ___________________ Date __________________
Directed Reading A continued
14. What is the pH scale used to measure?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
SOIL AND CLIMATE
Match the correct description with the correct term. Write the letter in the space
provided.
_____ 15. climate with low temperatures and slow
soil formation, resulting in thin soil that
cannot support many plants
_____ 16. climate with heavy rain that leaches
precious nutrients from the topsoil
a. desert
b. temperate forest
and grassland
c. tropical rain
forest
d. arctic areas
_____ 17. 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
_____ 18. climate with less than 25 cm of rain per
year and a low ability to support plant and
animal life
19. Lush plant growth takes large amounts of nutrients from the soil in which
climate?
_______________________________________________________________
20. When dead plants decay quickly in warm soil, they produce rich
______________________.
21. Tropical soils are generally poor and thin due to .______________________
22. Toxic levels of salt are sometimes found in the soil in which climate?
_______________________________________________________________
23. What happens to soil because of frequent changes in temperature in temperate
climates?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
24. The most productive soil in the world can be found in which climate?
____________________________________________________________________
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
Holt Science and Technology
7
Weathering and Soil Formation