Soil Formation and Soil Composition: Name:__________________

Read pages 120-126 in the Dynamic Earth textbook and answer the following questions:

1. What is the difference between residual and transported soil?

2. What is humus and why is it important?

3. Use the following to help you write a paragraph about how soil forms:

a. Soil formation begins when ____________________________

___________________________________________.

Soil particles are formed as ______________________________

___________________________________________.

2. Some of the ways in which living organisms help to form soil include the following:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Plants get water and minerals from the soil. What do animals get from the soil?

5. What is a soil horizon?

6. What two factors affect soil’s composition?

7. Describe a typical soil profile and fill out the soil profile diagram below:

8. Some people buy topsoil from a garden center to add to their own garden soil. Why is this added topsoil beneficial for plant growth?

9. Why is soil so important?