The Surface of the Earth Flashcards
Define crust
hard, rocky, layer on the surface of Earth
What is the surface of the Earth called
The crust
What are the oceans
huge surfaces of the earth that are covered in water
What is the lower, the continents or the oceans
the oceans
what is the earths crust made of
ROCK. under the soil and under the sea, and deep beneath there is always ROCK
What do we depend on from Earth to survive
Soil, Air, Water, sunlight
What do plants use to make their own food
Water and nutrients in the soil, sunlight, carbon dioxide from the air
What else do plants need soil for
To anchor their roots into the ground
What do animals need to survive
Oxygen from the air, and water
Where do animals get their energy from
They get their energy from what they eat as it is passed up through the food chain from plants
Why do animals also depend on soil
because they get their energy from the plants that need the soil
Define topsoil
The layer of soil that lies on the surface of the Earth
Define decompose
Break down into small parts
Define fertile soil
soil in which plants can grow well
Define subsoil
The layer of soil that lies underneath the topsoil
What is the land made up of
Mainly rocks, however, in most places soil covers the rocks
how does soil form
In layers (Figure 3)
Describe topsoil
Topsoil is dark in colour, it has the remains of dead plants and animals in it. Topsoil is the most nutrient-rich layer
Where does the soils nutrients come from
From decomposed animals and plants, which break down into smaller parts and stay in the soil
Where do plants grow best
In topsoil (fertile soil)
What does the word sub mean
Under
What happens to subsoil when it rains
nutrients from the topsoil are washed down into the subsoil
Can plants get nutrients from subsoil
Yes, however, it is not as nutrient rich and fertile as topsoil
What is below subsoil
Broken pieces of rock mixed with some soil
