1. Experiment Set-up
Fill 2 tubes with 25ml of different soil samples…get third sample from another group…
Fill with water to 100ml mark…mix soil and water per instruction handout
Return to seat wait 30 minutes while we take notes
Finish experiment

2. Soils

3. Soil
Soil is the lose covering of rock particles and decaying organic matter(humus)
Results from both physical and chemical weathering

4. Parent Material
Parent material is the source of the mineral matter in soils
Parent material is important because:
It affects the rate of weathering
Chemical makeup affects the soils fertility

5. Time Time-The longer a soil has been forming the thicker it is.
As a soil gets older other characteristics affect the soil more than the parent material

6. Climate Climate has the greatest affect on soil formation
Variations in temperature and precipitation affect the rate, depth and type of weathering

7. Organisms Plants are the main source of organic matter
Plants release nutrients when they decay. Adds to the soils fertility

8. Slope Steep slopes have higher erosion. Little water can soak in.
Soils are thin on steep slopes

9. Soil texture
Soils are composed of particles that can be sand, silt or clay sized.
Based on the soils % composition of each type of particle that determines the soils texture

10. Soil profile A soil profile is the vertical sequence of soil layers
Soil horizons are the distinct layers in a profile
The upper layers contain more organic material, the bottom layers contain more parent material