Download Earth`s Soil Study Guide Name

Earth’s Soil Study Guide
Name: _____________________ Date: ___________
Write the word or words that best completes each sentence
in the spaces below. Words may be used only once.
erosion
glacier
deposition
weathering
humus
natural resource
topsoil
subsoil
bedrock
loam
sandy soil
clay
1. A material on Earth that is necessary or useful to
people is a(n) natural resource.
2. The slow process of breaking down rocks into smaller pieces
is called weathering.
3. The dropping off of weathered rock in a new place
is called deposition.
4. The dark layer of soil that has the most humus and minerals is the
topsoil.
5. The lighter layer of soil that has less humus and minerals is the
subsoil.
6. The layer of soil that is solid rock is the bedrock.
7. The kind of soil that has small grains and holds very little water is
sandy soil.
8. The kind of soil that has the smallest grains and holds a lot of water is
clay.
9. The movement of weathered rock, sometimes caused by
moving water or wind, is called erosion.
10. humus is made of decomposed plants and animals.
11. A large sheet of ice that moves slowly over land is a glacier.
12. The kind of soil that is a mixture of sand, silt, and clay is loam.
Circle the letter of the best answer for each question.
13. All of the following may cause erosion except
A sunlight.
B water.
C wind.
D glaciers.
Label the layers of the soil.
14. topsoil
15. subsoil
16. bedrock