Lesson 10 of 13 · Earth Systems
Experiment⭐ 30 XP🌋 Rock RealmHow Soil Is Made
Earth Systems.
🎯 Your mission
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
⚡ The twist
Today's mountain was yesterday's ocean floor.
Mind = Blown
🌋 There are 1,500 active volcanoes on Earth right now.
Make a hypothesis first
Guess: where will the water go first?
What You'll Learn
Soil begins as rock broken down by frost, water and roots, then mixes with the remains of dead plants and animals. It takes centuries to build a few centimetres, which is why soil lost to erosion is not quickly replaced.
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- jar with lid
- soil
- water
- ruler
Safety First
- Wash hands thoroughly after handling soil and keep it away from your face.
Steps
Read the explanation above and note the two key terms before you start.
Shake a jar of soil and water and leave it overnight. Measure the depth of each settled layer in the morning and work out the percentage of sand, silt, clay and floating organic matter.
Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.
Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 2The dark decayed material in soil is called:
Where you see this in real life
Today's weather, tomorrow's beach, next century's coastline — all this.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Look at the sky for 5 minutes and try to predict tomorrow's weather.
For the dinner table
“What's the slowest change you can think of?”
Next Smart Experiment
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Ready?
How Soil Is Made
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
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