Soil Formation_ Working Doc.docx

**Soil Formation - Student Notes** **[Soil]:** Soil is the top layer of the earth\'s surface. Soil is composed of: - - - - Importance of the soil if Agriculture: 1. 2. 3. 4. **[Soils in Ireland]** All soils are formed from weathered rock Irish soil are regarded as [young] as f...

**Soil Formation - Student Notes** **[Soil]:** Soil is the top layer of the earth\'s surface. Soil is composed of: - - - - Importance of the soil if Agriculture: 1. 2. 3. 4. **[Soils in Ireland]** All soils are formed from weathered rock Irish soil are regarded as [young] as formed from glacial drift, after last ice-age (approx 1000 years ago). - - - - - [Glaciation] is the alteration of the Earth's surface by a glacier by erosion and deposition - - - - - **[Parent Rock]** 1. [ ] When magma cools it forms crystals of minerals: Slow = Large Crystals Cool below ground e.g. granite Fast = Small Crystals Most important minerals A. B. C. Image result for igneous rocks formation +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Granite | Basalt | +===================================+===================================+ | - - - - - - - | - - - - - | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ 2. - - - - - +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | Sandstone | Shale | Limestone | +=======================+=======================+=======================+ | - - - | - - - | - - - - - - | | | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+  3. A. B. C. D. E. Image result for formation of metamorphic rocks Summary of rocks: +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **[Igneous]{.underlin | **[Sedimentary]{.unde | **[Metamorphic]{.unde | | e}** | rline}** | rline}** | +=======================+=======================+=======================+ | Granite | Sandstone | Quartzite | | | | | | | | Gneiss | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | Basalt | Shale | Slate | | | | | | | | Green stone | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | Limestone | Marble | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ **[Weathering]** 1. 2. 3. Weathering is the chemical breaking down of rocks 1. a. i. ii. iii. ----------------------------------------------------------  ---------------------------------------------------------- b. iv. v. vi. c. vii. 2. d. viii. ix. e. x. xi. f. xii. - - - g. xiii. xiv. xv. h. xvi. xvii. xviii. 3. i. j. k. **Q. To Show the Effect of Chemical Weathering on Rocks:** - - **[Organic Parent Material - Peat/Bog]** Bogs contain a type of soil called peat. Peat's parent material is the remains of dead plants and animals. They are not fully decomposed because of: 1. 2. 3. +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Image result for formation of | **Types of Bogs** | | peat | | | | 1. a. b. c. d. | |  | 2. e. f. g. h. i. j. | | | | | | 3. k. l. m. n. o. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ 1. a. b. c. d. 2. e. f. g. h. Determines mineral content Determine soil texture, pH and drainage - - 3. i. j. k. l. m. n. +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Forests | Grassland | +===================================+===================================+ | - - - - | - - - - - - | | | | | (nutrient holding capacity) | | | | | | - - - - - - | | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ 4. - - -  -- -- 5. - - **Young Soil** **Old Soil** ------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------- High levels of parent material available for soil formation Majority of parent material no longer available for soil formation Fertility comes from rock minerals and organic matter Fertility comes from organic matter **Exam Questions**: 1. 2. a. b. c. 3. 4. d. e. f. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. g. h. 13. i.