Lesson 4 of 15 · Earth Systems

Experiment⭐ 30 XP🌋 Rock Realm

Soil Layers and Horizons

🧪Lab Brief #4

Earth Systems.

🎯 Your mission

Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.

⚡ The twist

The slowest changes are the biggest ones.

🤯

Mind = Blown

🪨 Every grain of sand on every beach used to be a mountain.

🔮

Make a hypothesis first

Predict: which will erode faster?

What You'll Learn

Soil forms slowly from weathered rock mixed with decomposed organic matter. Different layers (horizons) form with topsoil on top, subsoil below, and bedrock at the bottom.

Key Words

Tap a word to see its definition.

Materials Needed

sand
clay
water

Safety First

Wash your hands thoroughly afterwards and keep the material away from your face.
Mop up spills straight away so nobody slips, and keep liquids away from sockets.
Check glassware for chips before use and carry it with both hands.

Steps

Step 1 — Read

Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.

Step 2 — Do

Investigate soil layers: fill a jar with soil and water, shake it, and let it settle overnight. Identify the layers of clay, silt, sand, and organic matter.

Step 3 — Observe

Draw a detailed diagram of what you observe.

Step 4 — Record

Write a conclusion: what did your results show? Did they match your prediction?

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What are tectonic plates?

How sure are you going to be?😐 maybe

🌍

Where you see this in real life

This is shaping the ground you walk on, slowly, every single day.

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Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Find a rock outside and try to guess how old it is.

👨‍👩‍👧

For the dinner table

“What's the slowest change you can think of?”

🎯

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