Formation of Soil As you have previously learned, weathering turns rocks into smaller fragments. These smaller mineral fragments form part of the soil which makes up the surface of Earth These fragments, however, do not become high quality soil until plants and animals live in them. Plants and animals add organic matter to fragments of rocks in a form of leaves, twigs, roots, dead worms and insects and remains of once living organisms. The mixture of weathered rock and decayed organic matter, mineral fragments, and water forms soil. The process of soil formation takes thousands of years. The climate of the place, its slope, types of rocks and vegetation and the time the rock has been weathering affect the formation of soil. Activity 3. 1. What are the components of the soil? 2. How do rocks turns into soil? 3. What factors determine the kind of soil formed?
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1.Soil contains air, water, and minerals as well as plant and animal matter, both living and dead. These soil components fall into two categories. In the first category are biotic factors—all the living and once-living things in soil, such as plants and insects.
2. Soil is formed through the process of rock weathering. Weathering is the breakdown of rocks into smaller particles when in contact with water (flowing through rocks), air or living organisms. Weathering can occur physically, biologically or chemically.
3. The five factors are: 1) parent material, 2) relief or topography, 3) organisms (including humans), 4) climate, and 5) time. If a single parent material is exposed to different climates then a different soil individual will form.