Test 4 Soils Earth Science

Test 4 Soils Earth Science

1: An ideal soil contains a mineral fraction, organic matter, water and

A). rocks

B). colluvium

C). air

2: The soil horizon of maximum biological activity is

A). A

B). B

C). C

3: An example of physical weathering is

A). Minerals dissolved by water

B). Oxidation

C). Frost wedging

4: A well-developed O horizon is more likely to be found in

A). A forest

B). A corn field near Raleigh

C). Neither of the above

5: By definition a soil must

A.). Contain living matter

B). Contain rocks

C). Both of the above

6: The horizon of maximum clay accumulation

A). A

B). B

C). C

D). D

7: A two-dimensional vertical section of a soil showing its horizons is a

A). Profile

B). Pedon

8: Soil parent material is determined by how the sediment came to the area where the soil is found. The soil parent material not found in South Carolina is…

A). Glacial outwash

B). Marine sediments

C). Sedimentary rocks

9: The material responsible for red and yellow color in soils is

A). Quartz

B). Mica

C). Oxidized iron

10: Which vegetation type is more likely to develop thick A horizons with greater amounts of organic matter.

A). Grasslands

B). Forests

11: Decomposition of plant residue by soil microorganisms may

A). Improve soil texture

B). Improve soil structure

C). Both of the above

12: Soil texture could be changed in a flower bed by

A). Adding sand, silt or clay

B). Adding

C). Either of the above

13: The surface area of the particles in a given volume is greater for

A). Sand

B). Silt

C). Clay

14: Which textural class has the capacity to hold the greatest amount of water and nutrients?

A). Sandy loam

B). Clay

15: In a soil profile with A, E and B horizons the least amount of clay will be in the ______horizon.

A). A

B). B

C). E

16: Soil permeability refers to

A). Stickiness and plasticity of soil

B). Total pore space

C). Movement of air and water through soil

17 : Soil permeability is affected by

A). Soil texture

B). Soil structure

C). Soil texture and structure

18: Sandy loam is an example of

A). Soil texture

B). Soil structure

C). Soil textural class

19: The soil order most common to the southeastern U.S. is

A). Spodosol

B). Mollisol

C). Ultisol

20: Particle density is the

A). Solid material and the pore space

B). Density of the solid particles only

C). Total pore space

21:Suppose you have equal amounts of three substances labeled A, B, and C. Then you add 350 mL of water to each, and then wait so that each one has time to absorb all of the water that it can. 25 mL of surface water remains above substance A. 60 mL of surface water remains above substance B. No water remains above substance C. Which of the substances has the greatest porosity?

A. Substance A

B. Substance B

C. Substance C

D. There is not enough information to determine this.

22: Suppose that40 mLof water is poured simultaneously into each of the containers shown below. After10 seconds,5 mLremains atop the gravel sample,20 mLof water remains atop the sand sample and28 mLof water remains atop the silt sample. Water continues to seep into each of the substances. Which substance has the lowest permeability?

• A. Gravel
• B. Sand
• C. Silt
• D. It is impossible to tell from the information given.

23: A particular type of rock formation is known to have a porosity of22%.How much fluid could be present in50 Lof this rock?

• A. 11 L
• B. 22 L
• C. 28 L
• D. 44 L

24: A dry soil sample has a volume of 500 mL. After 400 mL of water are added to the soil, the soil becomes saturated with 150 mL of surface water left on top. What is the porosity of the soil?

• A. 30%
• B. 38%
• C. 50%
• D. 63%

25: Based on the macroscopic views of the three substances, which is most permeable?

• A. Gravel
• B. Sand
• C. Silt
• D. Impossible to tell

26: Use the information below to answer the following question. Which type of soil would most likely allow more pesticides to leach into our groundwater?

Adsorptionis the binding of pesticides to soil particles. The amount a pesticide is adsorbed to the soil varies with the type of pesticide, soil, moisture, soil pH, and soil texture. Pesticides are strongly adsorbed to soils that are high in clay or organic matter. They are not as strongly adsorbed to sandy soils. (5 points)

27: Rachel Carson wrote in Silent Spring…”I contend, furthermore, that we have allowed these chemicals to be used with little or noadvance investigation of their effect on soil, water, wildlife, and man himself. Futuregenerations are unlikely to condone our lack of prudent concern for the integrity of the naturalworld that supports all life. There is still very limited awareness of the nature of the threat. Thisis an era of specialists, each of whom sees his own problem and is unaware of or intolerant ofthe larger frame into which it fits. It is also an era dominated by industry, in which the right tomake a dollar at whatever cost is seldom challenged.”

Using the quote above and our readings from Silent Spring answer the following question:

Do you think it is possible the world will ever stop using pesticides to control insects? Why or why not? (10points)

28: You have been working on your ecosystem for over a month. Do you think you are creating a successful ecosystem? If yes then explain how you know. If not then explain what needs to change in order to become more successful. (10 points) you better make me believe it

29. The Sun's path from sunrise to sunset varies with the time of year. A student performed the following experiments on three clear, sunny days at three- or four-month intervals throughout the course of a year to study the path of the Sun through the sky.

Experiment 1

At a chosen Northern Hemisphere location, the student placed a stick vertically into the ground so that 1 meter of its length was left above ground. The student knew that the length of the shadow was related to the height of the Sun above the horizon and that the shadow would pointawayfrom the direction of the Sun. The length in meters (m) and direction of the shadow cast by the stick were measured one hour after sunrise (Shadow A), at mid-morning (B), at noon (C), at mid-afternoon (D), and one hour before sunset (E) on each of the three days. The direction of each shadow was determined by placing a magnetic compass at the base of the stick and aligning the north arrow with the north mark on the compass. The direction of each shadow was then determined by a comparison with the compass face markings. The results are recorded in Table1.

Table 1
Shadow / Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3
Length
(m) / Shadow
direction / Length
(m) / Shadow
direction / Length
(m) / Shadow
direction
A / 5.0 / SW / 8.6 / NW / 6.8 / W
B / 1.2 / W / 2.9 / NNW / 1.7 / NW
C / 0.3 / N / 2.3 / N / 0.9 / N
D / 1.2 / E / 3.0 / NNE / 1.8 / NE
E / 5.0 / SE / 8.6 / NE / 6.9 / E
Experiment 2
The following year, the student repeated Experiment 1 at a chosen location in the Southern Hemisphere. The results are in Table 2.
Table 2
Shadow / Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3
Length
(m) / Shadow
direction / Length
(m) / Shadow
direction / Length
(m) / Shadow
direction
A / 9.0 / SW / 5.0 / NW / 6.9 / W
B / 3.2 / SSW / 1.1 / W / 1.8 / SW
C / 2.5 / S / 0.3 / S / 1.0 / S
D / 3.2 / SSE / 1.1 / E / 1.8 / SE
E / 9.1 / SE / 5.0 / NE / 6.9 / E

Which of the following graphs best represents the relationship between the length of the stick’s shadow and the time of day?

F.
G.
H.
J.