studying soil scientifically

Question 1

Manufactured fertilizers vs.

Answer 1

organic fertilizers

Question 2

Do manufactured fertilizers contain carbon?

Answer 2

No

Question 3

There is ___, ___, and ___ in manufactured fertilizers.

Answer 3

N, P, K (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium)

Question 4

Do organic fertilizers contain carbon?

Answer 4

Yes

Question 5

Organic fertilizers come from..

Answer 5

once living or a part of once living

Question 6

What are some ways scientists describe soil?

Answer 6

Texture(loose, friable, firm), Components(sand, silt, clay), color, consistency(grainy, silky, sticky)

Question 7

Scientists observations are always..

Answer 7

complete and accurate, describes with detail

Question 8

Desert-

Answer 8

Western US, dry, sand, no OM, hot, gritty

Question 9

Forest-

Answer 9

East and East central US, Washington Township, dark brown, OM, good for farming, garden, growing grass for lawn

Question 10

Grassland-

Answer 10

West central and parts of East central US, little dry, grass grows, lots of OM, dark black soil

Question 11

Tropical Grassland-

Answer 11

small areas of Western US, reddish color, wet and dry at times, sticky clay, some OM

Question 12

What does sand, silt, and clay feel like.

Answer 12

Sand-gritty Clay-sticky Silt-flour

Question 13

What happened in the dust bowl?

Answer 13

Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Nebraska, Drought caused soil to dry and growing non-native plants allowed wind to pick up soil and carry it long distances

Question 14

Rank particle sizes smallest to largest

Answer 14

Clay, Silt, Sand

Question 15

What is Organic matter and where does it come from?

Answer 15

OM is made with carbon, comes from anything that has died or a part of something that was alive

Question 16

Topsoil-

Answer 16

top, most nutrients, most living things

Question 17

Subsoil-

Answer 17

below topsoil, lighter, clay, dry, very little lives here

Question 18

Bedrock-

Answer 18

bottom, soil develops from here

Question 19

What happens when soil is handled poorly by farmers?

Answer 19

Dry out, erosion(wind and water), lose OM

Question 20

Why do plants not grow after they are planted?

Answer 20

Very little nutrients, little water or sunlight, plants not made for climate, not enough OM

Question 21

How does someone increase organic matter in soil?

Answer 21

Organic fertilizer, natural fertilizer (manure), growing native plants, leaves and other once living