SOL 3.7 A Source from Rockingham County Public Schools Soil SOL 3.7 A Source from Rockingham County Public Schools

Soil provides support and nutrients for plant growth.

EROSION is the movement of sediment and rock to new places.

Weathering breaks down rocks to create soil. It can be caused by weather, water, or living things

There are five components of soil: 1. Rock 2. Sand 3. Silt 4. Clay 5. Humus

Rock is solid and made of minerals

Sand Sand is tiny grains of worn down rock. It doesn’t hold water or have many nutrients.

Sand ------------Silt---------------Clay Silt is very small, broken pieces of rock. It is larger than clay, but smaller than sand. It is powdery when dry. Sand ------------Silt---------------Clay (smaller particles) (larger particles)

Clay is used for adobe or brick houses. Clay holds water well. It is sticky and can be shaped when it is wet. But, it is very hard when dry. Clay has many nutrients. Clay is used for adobe or brick houses.

Humus Humus is made of leaves, twigs, small animals, or other decayed substances. Humus adds many nutrients to the soil. Humus is in the topsoil.

3 Layers of Soil Topsoil (The layer on TOP) Subsoil (The prefix SUB means under) Bedrock (It’s hard as rock down there!)

Natural Resources They are made by nature. They are not man-made. They cannot be replaced. They must be saved, meaning we must conserve them.

Ways to You Can Conserve Soil Plant trees Plant grass Healthy farming Plant gardens to grow crops Can you think of other ways to conserve soil?