Properties of Soil

Energy from the Sun

When we talk about the properties of soil what do we need to name?

• how it feels

• how it looks

• its ability to

contain water

• its ability to support plant life

What word would identify each property?

SOIL IS IMPORTANT!Many products we buy can be traced back to the soil.

AIR

SPACE

NUTRIENTS

WATER

How can you test different types of soil to see which best supports

plant growth?• Plant 3 bean seeds in the

same size cup, with the same amount of soil, but remember to use different types of soil.

• Water your plants every 2 days.

• Observe and record the growth in height you see for the 3 plants.

• After a few weeks make a bar graph to display the results of your experiment.

The process and chart below would help you test what property of soil?

Step 1: Take a small sample of soil and moisten it with water.

Step 2: Place the soil sample between you thumb and forefinger and gently rub.

Step 3: Classify your findings based on the chart below.

If the soil feels…The soil would be classified as…

Gritty or Grainy Sand

Smooth or Slippery Silt

Sticky Clay

A. Formation

B. Texture

C. Capacity to retain water

D. Ability to support life

A student is testing the amount of water retained by different types of soil. Equal amount of soil and water were added to each container. To determine the amount of water retained by each soil sample, the student would… A Add the amount of each soil

sample to the amount of water added to each soil sample.

B Divide the total amount of water added to each soil sample by the number of samples being tested.

C Subtract the amount of water collected below each sample from the water added.

D Multiply the amount of water added to each soil sample by the number of soil samples being tested.

I added 200 ml to each soil. Now I will read the amount of water I see in each beaker. Here is my observation: How much water did the clay soil retain?

A 90 ml

B 120 ml

C 110 ml

C 105 ml

topsoil claysandgravel

Which of the following safety tools would you need if you were

investigating the texture of soil?

A Fire extinguisher

B Gloves

C Insect repellent

D Goggles You want to protect your eyes from the tiny soil particles. Why can’t you wear gloves? You would not be able to feel the texture of the soil.

Which model demonstrates a way to test properties of three different soils in order to see which type of soil best supports the growth of sunflower plants?A Test A

B Test B

C Test C

D Test D

Which variables MUST NOT CHANGE?

Only change the type of soil in each container.

When we talk about the properties of soil what do we need to name?

• how it feels

• how it looks

• its ability to

contain water

• its ability to support plant life

What word would identify each property?

Amount of Growth

Type of Soil

Height after 1 week

Height after 2 weeks

Height after 3 weeks

silt 2 cm 3.3 cm 8.1 cm

loam 4 cm 7.2 cm10.5 cm

clay 1.6 cm 3 cm 4.7 cmThe chart above was made to show the heights of the three bean seeds after a few weeks.

Which soil shows that it would NOT best support plant life? WHY?

Clay will not let water pass through. It will hold too much water which is not good for plant growth.

Match the following words to their definition.

• Sand• Gravel• Humus• Silt• Clay

A. Soil that is soft and drains quickly.

B. Holds water and feels slimy when wet

C. Dark and moist; adds nutrients to the soil.

D. Looks like fine grains

E. Rock particles

What is the main source of energy for Earth?

The sun provides Earth with …

Every living thing needs energy!

Where do plants get their energy?A from the moon C from the sunB from people D from the stars

Where do some animals get their energy?

A from the sun C from rainB from plants D from clouds

What drives the water cycle?

Evaporation

Condensation

Precipitation

Transpiration

Runoff Water

Which part of the water cycle causes flooding and creeks to rise?

A evaporation

B condensation

C precipitation

D transpiration

Another question about the water cycle…

What part of this picture caused transpiration in the water cycle?

A the lake

B the house

C the clouds

D the plants

Here’s another question…

What effect would it have on Earth if the sunlight was blocked from shining on the water and land for months at a time?

A precipitation would increase

B condensation would increase

C evaporation would slow down

D everything would stay the same