Weathering and Soil

Name ____________________________ Date ____________________ Class _____________

Weathering and Soil

Chapter Test A

Multiple Choice

Write the letter of the correct answer on the line at the left.

_____ 1. Geologists infer from the rounded, eroded shapes of the Appalachian Mountains that a. the principle of uniformitarianism does not apply. b. the mountains formed recently. c. the mountains are made of soft rock. d. the mountains have been eroding for millions of years.

_____ 2. A marble statue is left exposed to the weather. Within a few years, the details on the statue have begun to weather away. This weathering probably is caused by a. oxygen in the air. b. carbonic acid in rainwater. c. lichens. d. abrasion.

_____ 3. Granite lasts a long time when it is used for building in areas where a. repeated freezing and thawing is common. b. the climate is mostly cool and dry. c. acid rain is common. d. the climate is hot and rainy.

_____ 4. When earthworms add their wastes to the soil, then die and decay in the soil, they are contributing to the formation of a. silt. b. litter. c. humus. d. clay.

_____ 5. In a cross section of soil, the B horizon consists of a. clay, minerals, and little humus. b. humus only. c. partly weathered rock. d. topsoil.

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Name ____________________________ Date ____________________ Class _____________

Weathering and Soil (continued)

_____ 6. Most of the work of mixing humus within the soil is done by a. fungi. b. ants. c. earthworms. d. bacteria.

_____ 7. The type of soil called loam is made up of a. pure humus. b. mostly clay. c. nearly equal amounts of silt, sand, and clay. d. sand and gravel.

_____ 8. What can cause the loss of soil that is not protected by plant cover? a. chemical weathering b. erosion by water or wind c. mechanical weathering d. too many organisms in the soil

_____ 9. Plowing removed the grass from the Great Plains and exposed the soil. What effect did this have when a drought struck the Great Plains during the 1930s? a. It had no effect. b. It reduced the soil's fertility. c. It helped to cause the Dust Bowl. d. It allowed the soil to hold moisture better.

_____ 10. What term describes the management of soil to prevent its destruction? a. soil exhaustion b. soil decomposition c. soil conservation d. soil fertility

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Name ____________________________ Date ____________________ Class _____________

Weathering and Soil (continued)

Completion

Fill in the line to complete each statement.

11. The actions of animals most commonly can cause the type of weathering known as ____________________.

12. Water and wind can ____________________ soil, or carry it away. 13. Some plants produce acids that result in ____________________ weathering. 14. Two factors that determine the rate of weathering are the type of rock and the

____________________. 15. Sandy topsoil is said to be ____________________ because water drains quickly through the spaces

between the sand particles.

True or False

If the statement is true, write true. If it is false, change the underlined word or words to make the statement true.

____________

____________ ____________

____________ ____________

16. After chemical weathering, the chemical makeup of the weathered rock is the same as that of the original rock.

17. Deposition occurs where the agents of erosion lay down sediment.

18. The rate of chemical weathering is faster in hot, wet climates than in cold, dry climates.

19. Nematodes are tiny worms that live in soil.

20. To restore soil's fertility, a farmer might plant legumes as part of a soil conservation technique called nutrient depletion.

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Name ____________________________ Date ____________________ Class _____________

Weathering and Soil (continued)

Using Science Skills

Directions: Use the diagram below to answer questions 21 and 22.

21. In which layer of soil in the diagram would you find humus? What is the soil in this layer called? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

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Name ____________________________ Date ____________________ Class _____________

Weathering and Soil (continued)

22. Which layer of soil in the diagram is made up only of partly weathered rock? What is this layer called? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

Essay

Write an answer for each of the following questions on a separate sheet of paper. 23. Compare and contrast topsoil and subsoil. 24. Describe three ways soil can be damaged or lost.

Using Science Skills

Use the diagram to answer each question.

25. Compare the soils in the eastern and central United States. ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

26. In which parts of the United States are mountain soils found? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

27. Excluding Alaska and Hawaii, which soil type occupies the largest area on the map? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

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