Chapter 10.1, Problem 1BYL

To determine

The explanation of the term “soil”.

Answer to Problem 1BYL

Soil in a thin layer of loose unconsolidated material that can support life. The components of the soil are rock pieces, minerals, organic matter, air, and water. Soil serves as an interface between the other Earth spheres. Each sphere represents one of the soil components. The soil properties are determined by the interaction of the four soil components with their environment.

Explanation of Solution

Soil is a thin veneer on the Earth’s surface that has the capacity to support life. It contains four components including organic material (living and dead), minerals, air, and water. Soil is actually an interface between the lithosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere, each of which is denoted by one of the soil components. The interaction of four soil components with their environment determines the overall properties of a soil.

Soil consists of half of soil solid substances and half of pore spaces (the space between and within soil grains). Soil solids contain approximately 45% minerals and rock pieces and 5% organic matter. Pore spaces are filled with water and air, approximately 20-30% each.