Soil Composition Worksheet

A section of soil is shown. The soil is mainly made from:

• rocks.

• water.

• plant roots.

• tiny animals.

In what state was soil only carried away by water?

• Iowa

• Kansas

• Missouri

• Nebraska

Students looked at top soil from a garden. What makes up most of this soil?

• fine grains of sand

• large pieces of rock

• pieces of decayed plants

• thick layers of clay

Plants use nutrients found in soil. Which of these can break down in soil and become nutrients?

• air

• water

• leaves

• sunlight

A student investigated how different soils affect the growth of radish plants. The student used potting soil, clay soil, and sandy soil. She added one type of soil to each of three pots. The student planted two radish seeds in each pot. She then watered each pot with 25 mL of water every two days for 40 days. The table shows the final results from the investigation. Type of Soil | Final Average Height of Plants (mm) Potting Soil | 63.2 Clay Soil | 25.9 Sandy Soil | 49.5 Which conclusion is most accurate, based on the results in the table?

• A. Sandy soil produced the shortest plants.

• B. Potting soil produced the best plant growth.

• C. Clay soil performed better than sandy soil or potting soil.

• D. Combining sandy and clay soils would produce the best plant growth.

Soil texture is improved by

• runoff of water.

• erosion of sand dunes.

• compaction of rock layers.

• decomposition of plants and animals.

Students pour water through soil using the method shown. Which soil property are the students most likely investigating?

• The size of the rocks in the soil.

• The kind of plants that grow in the soil.

• The amount of moisture held by the soil.

• The number of layers included in the soil.

The graph shows the main causes of soil loss around the world. What is the main cause of soil loss?

• farming crops

• cutting down forests

• getting wood for fuel

• raising animals that eat grass

Which of these can cause soil runoff?

• heavy rains

• strong winds

• bright sunshine

• high temperatures

What happened to the amount of soil lost over the years shown in the table?

• The amount of soil lost went up and down over the years.

• The amount of soil lost stayed the same each year.

• The amount of soil lost went down each year.

• The amount of soil lost went up each year.