Topic 5: Soil

4. a stiff, sticky fine-grained earth that can be moulded when wet
5. drain away from soil, ash, or similar material by the action of percolating liquid, especially rainwater.
6. is the regions of the surface and atmosphere of the earth or another planet occupied by living organisms.
9. some of which form the body of the soil while others are used by the plants.
12. the activity or business of growing crops and raising livestock.
13. any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink or that plants absorb in order to maintain life and growth.
15. ___ breaks down the dead organic matter and mix it into the upper layers of the soil.
16. a gas which makes up 78 percent of the atmosphere and that forms a part of all living tissues.
18. the rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle.
19. The elevation of the land, the aspect of the slope (the direction it faces) and the angle of the slope, will all impact the soil.
20. is the weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period.
22. As soil has processes it can be seen as a ___.
23. a loose granular substance, typically pale yellowish brown, resulting from the erosion of siliceous and other rocks and forming a major constituent of beaches, river beds, the seabed, and deserts.

1. the life-supporting component of the air.
2. is the basis of the fluids of living organisms.
3. the process of wearing or being worn by long exposure to the atmosphere.
7. is a mixture of minerals, organic matter, air and water.
8. all the waters on the earth's surface, such as lakes and seas conform the ...
10. is a community of interdependent organisms and the physical environment they interact with.
11. fine sand, clay, or other material carried by running water and deposited as a sediment
14. is the outermost layer of the Earth that is composed of soil.
16. a substance that provides nourishment essential for the maintenance of life and for growth.
17. Soils lose minerals, organic matter, water and gases through the action of wind, water and plants and animals. These are ___
21. The minerals and organic matter are the major ___ to the soil system.
22. The ___ for the soil system are the four basic elements of a soil, plus organisms and nutrients.