Ga Ag Ed Curriculum Office, July 2002 Adapted for Colorado Soils Curriculum 2006

Let’s Get Physical Expanding Horizons Soil Color It’s How You Feel General Soil

Question: The _____ of the soil refers to the size of the individual soil particles. Check Your Answer Phy. Properties for 1

Answer: texture Back to the Game Board Phy. Properties for 1

Question: Positively charged nutrients in the soil are called ________. Check Your Answer Phy. Properties for 2

Answer: cations Back to the Game Board Phy. Properties for 2

Question: What is slope? Check Your Answer Phy. Properties for 3

Answer: reflects the change in elevation of the soil surface over 100’ horizontally Back to the Game Board Phy. Properties for 3

Question: What determines the acid level of the soil? Check Your Answer Phy. Properties for 4

Answer: pH Back to the Game Board Phy. Properties for 4

Question: Groups of clinging soil particles are called ______. Check Your Answer Phy. Properties for 5

Answer: peds Back to the Game Board Phy. Properties for 5

Question: Soil from rock or from organic material will form in layers that lie ____ to the surface of earth. Check Your Answer Soil Horizons for 1

Answer: parallel Back to the Game Board Soil Horizons for 1

Question: If the upper horizon is classified as an “Ap” Horizon – what does that mean? Check Your Answer Soil Horizons for 2

Answer: It is an A horizon that has been “plowed” or disturbed. Back to the Game Board Soil Horizons for 2

Question: The “A” horizon is generally _____ than the horizons below and may be from a few inches to several feet thick. Check Your Answer Soil Horizons for 3

Answer: darker Back to the Game Board Soil Horizons for 3

Question: The bedrock upon which the other soil horizons rest is called the __ horizon. Check Your Answer Soil Horizons for 4

Answer: “R” Back to the Game Board Soil Horizons for 4

Question: This layer is the material from which soil originated. Check Your Answer Soil Horizons for 5

Answer: “C” Horizon Back to the Game Board Soil Horizons for 5

Question: What is one factor that gives soil color? Check Your Answer Soil Color for 1

Answer: One of: 1.Organic matter 2.Weathered mineral matter 3.Iron present Back to the Game Board Soil Color for 1

Question: What are the basic color classifications of soils? Check Your Answer Soil Color for 2

Answer: 1.Light 2.Medium 3.Dark Back to the Game Board Soil Color for 2

Question: What standard chart is used to determine soil color in the field? Check Your Answer Soil Color for 3

Answer: Munsell Color Chart Back to the Game Board Soil Color for 3

Question: What is the difference between Hue, Value, and Chroma? Check Your Answer Soil Color for 4

Answer: Hue: dominant spectral (red, yellow, blue, green) Value: relative blackness or whitness Chroma: Purity of “color” Back to the Game Board Soil Color for 4

Question: What are mottles in the soil? Check Your Answer Soil Color for 5

Answer: spots of colors in the soil – usually indicates poor aeration Back to the Game Board Soil Color for 5

Question: What is the smallest soil texture? Check Your Answer Soil – Texture for 1

Answer: Clay Back to the Game Board Soil - Texture for 1

Question: What is the largest soil particle type? Check Your Answer Soil - Texture for 2

Answer: sand Back to the Game Board Soil - Texture for 2

Question: How can you test soil texture? Check Your Answer Soil - Texture for 3

Answer: (a) Ribboning method (b) using soil sieves to measure Back to the Game Board Soil - Texture for 3

Question: What are the 3 soil types? Check Your Answer Soil - Texture for 4

Answer: 1) Sand 2) Silt 3) Clay Back to the Game Board Soil - Texture for 4

Question: What does loam mean? Check Your Answer Soil - Texture for 5

Answer: A mixture of sand, silt, clay Back to the Game Board Soil - Texture for 5

Question: _______ is the most precious natural resource we have. Check Your Answer Soil for 1

Answer: soil Back to the Game Board Soil for 1

Question: _____ are soils derived from volcanic sources. Check Your Answer Soil for 2

Answer: andisols Back to the Game Board Soil for 2

Question: The most common soil organisms are _________. Check Your Answer Soil for 3

Answer: nematodes Back to the Game Board Soil for 3

Question: _____ are soils that settle to the bottom of rivers and streams when the water is moving rapidly. Check Your Answer Soil for 4

Answer: alluvial Back to the Game Board Soil for 4

Question: The broadest soil grouping is called ________. Check Your Answer Soil for 5

Answer: soil order Back to the Game Board Soil for 5