Soil

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/soil

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the soil as a system?A complex three-state system of solids, liquids, and gases
2. What is the scientific term for earth's soil?The pedosphere, which interfaces with the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere
3. What is soil made of?Soil is a mix of tiny mineral particles, organic matter, gases, water, and living organisms.
4. Why is soil important for plants?Soil anchors roots and gives plants water and nutrients, so they can grow.

Pedosphere: The outermost layer of the Earth that is composed of soil and is influenced by human activity.
Weathering: The physical, chemical, and biological breakdown of rocks and minerals at the Earth's surface.
Edaphology: The study of the soil's effects on living things, especially plants.
Pedology: The study of the formation, composition, and classification of soils.