AP Environmental Science : Soil and Geology
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Example Questions
Example Question #101 : Introductory Concepts And Earth Science
What is the brown insoluble particles from partially decomposed organic matter?
Clay
Waterlog
Humus
Rill
Minerals
Humus
The correct response is humus. This is one of the most important components to soil communities. Humus is formed as things like leaves, branches, and other vegetation breakdown (slowly) over time. Earthworms and microbes help speed up the process of breaking down dead organic matter into humus.
Example Question #11 : Soil Formation, Composition, And Properties
Conserving our natural resources is one of the challenging issues of the 21st century. What important natural resource is comprised of clay, silt, pebbles, and sand?
Soil
Coal
Iron
Fossil fuels
Soil
The correct response is soil. Soil is a mix of sand, clay, pebbles, and silt. It is the foundation of all our ecosystems.
Example Question #32 : Soil And Geology
Soil scientists help farmers discover how healthy their soils are. When a soil scientist measures the ability of soil particles to clump together, what soil property are they measuring?
Cohesion
Strength
Plasticity
Sensitivity
Cohesion
The correct response is cohesion. This property measures how well a soil clumps together or breaks apart.
Example Question #101 : Introductory Concepts And Earth Science
When a soil scientist measures how well water moves through the soil, what soil property is he/she measuring?
Permeability
Compressibility
Strength
Excavation
Permeability
The correct response is permeability. This measure how quickly water can move through any substance - including soil.
Example Question #1 : Types Of Soil
What are the three main types of soil?
Silt, clay and humus
Silt, loam and parent material
Clay, humus and loam
Loam, silt and sand
Sand, silt and clay
Sand, silt and clay
Silt, clay and sand are the three main types of soil. Loam is actually a soil mixture with a high clay content, and humus is organic matter present in soil (particularly in the top organic "O" layer), but neither are a main type of soil.
Example Question #1 : Types Of Soil
List these types of soil by their particle size from largest to smallest.
Silt, sand, clay
Sand, clay and silt
Clay, sand and silt
Sand, silt, clay
Clay, silt, sand
Sand, silt, clay
Sand is defined as having a diameter ranging from 0.05 mm to 2 mm, silt as having a diameter ranging from 0.05 mm to 0.002 mm, and clay as having a diameter smaller than 0.002 mm. Therefore, sand particles are the largest, followed by silt, and then clay being the smallest particles in the spectrum.
Example Question #31 : Soil And Geology
__________ soil is considered ideal for food production, usually nutrient-rich, and holds both air and water well.
Sandy
Loamy
Clay-rich
Alkaline
Silty
Loamy
Loamy soil is a mixture between sand, silt, and clay. It is rich in organic matter, and the properties of sand and clay combined allow it to hold air and water well.
Example Question #1 : Types Of Soil
List the soil horizons in order.
Organic material, plough zone, zone of accumulation, weathered sediment, unweathered sediment
Unweathered sediment, organic material, plough zone, zone of accumulation, weathered sediment
Plough zone, zone of accumulation, weathered sediment, unweathered sediment, organic material
Organic material, plough zone, weathered sediment, zone of accumulation, unweathered sediment
Organic material, zone of accumulation, plough zone, weathered sediment, unweathered sediment
Organic material, plough zone, zone of accumulation, weathered sediment, unweathered sediment
Soil horizons labeled with brief descriptions:
Example Question #2 : Types Of Soil
Brett has been collecting soil samples from various city parks for his chemistry class. The chemistry class will measure the amount of nutrients, such as potassium and nitrogen, in each soil sample. The park with the best quality soil will be the location of a community garden. By measuring the soil nutrients, what soil property is Brett trying to quantify?
Soil porosity
Soil strength
Soil compressibility
Soil fertility
Soil infilitration
Soil fertility
The correct response is soil fertility. The amount of nutrients in the soil is a measurement of soil fertility. Soils with high nutrient content (especially with respect to nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium) are considered fertile soils. Soils with low nutrient content are considered infertile soils. Soil porosity refers to the amount of air space between soil particles. Soil infiltration refers to its infiltration (absorption of water) capacity. Soil compressibility, as the name suggests, is the ability for a soil to be compressed. Soil strength involves the capacity of a soil to withstand sheer stress forces, which is influenced by many parameters including those mentioned above.
Example Question #1 : Soil Problems And Solutions
Soil with insufficient nitrogen is generally easier to fix than soil insufficient in phosphorus. Why might this be?
Phosphorus is generally scarce in the natural world.
Atmospheric phosphorus disperses in the form of precipitation, and irrigating crops from a well source will be insufficient in replenishing phosphorus to the soil.
Nitrogen is abundant in the soil and the atmosphere, while phosphorus is only available in the soil and in bedrock.
Many plants are incapable of taking up available phosphorus, making it very difficult to have compost that is rich in phosphorus.
There are significantly more steps in the phosphorus cycle to make phosphorus usable for plants, limiting availability.
Nitrogen is abundant in the soil and the atmosphere, while phosphorus is only available in the soil and in bedrock.
There is a sizable bank of nitrogen in the atmosphere that can be fixed by certain bacteria (and plants that harbor this bacteria in their roots), while phosphorus originates largely from bedrock and is released into the soil in limited quantities. Nitrogen can be fixed from a collective atmosphere that is three-quarters nitrogen, while phosphorus is more region-specific and can be harder to replace than nitrogen once it's depleted. Farms located in phosphorus-poor regions often have to rely on mined phosphates.
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