Soil is not just rocks broken down into tiny pieces; it’s the magical transformation where minerals mix with living things to create the foundation of life itself. Watch this animation to find out more about soil. Then answer the questions in the Take Notes box, below.
You might want to check the definitions of specific vocabulary terms. In addition to the terms described in the two previous animatins, soil and organic matter will be introduced. You may pause the animation, rewatch it as many times as you like, and read the transcript.
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As rocks on the crust of Earth weather into smaller pieces and mix with water, air, and living things, a new type of living material is created: soil.
Soil formation begins as rocks break down (weathering) into smaller rock particles called sediment.
But this sediment is only the “base layer” of soil that provides the mineral content. The thing that makes soil “soil” is all of the living and decomposing organisms in it: Plant material, animal material, fungus, bacteria. When the organic or living mixes with inorganic or non-living (mineral + air + water), you get soil.
Depending on the type of inorganic and organic components in it, the properties of the soil vary (pH, texture/particle size, moisture) and its ability to support life (fertility) varies. It may sound counterintuitive, but soil must contain life to support life.
So before you dismiss it as just plain “dirt” - you might want to take a second look at this complex interface of water, air, rock and life. Because without this living material,
earth wouldn’t be Earth at all.
Type the answers to the following questions in the note box, below: