Chapter 2 Weathering and Soil Formation Sample Test

Multiple Choice
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

____ 1. The agent of mechanical weathering in which rock is worn away by th e grinding action of other
rock particles is called
a. erosion.
b. cracking and peeling.
c. abrasion.
d. ice wedging.
____ 2. Ice wedging causes mechanical weathering of rock by means of
a. heating and cooling.
b. plant growth.
c. animal actions.
d. freezing and thawing of water.
____ 3. What kind of weathering causes the mineral composition of rocks to change?
a. mechanical weathering
b. permeable weathering
c. chemical weathering
d. general weathering
____ 4. A rock containing iron becomes soft and crumbly and reddish-brown in color. It probably
has been chemically weathered by
a. abrasion.
b. carbon dioxide.
c. oxygen.
d. acid rain.
____ 5. A hot and wet climate causes weathering to take place
a. slowly.
b. at the same rate as when the climate is dry and cool.
c. unevenly.
d. rapidly.
____ 6. The most important factors in determining the rate of weathering are
a. carbon dioxide and acid rain.
b. abrasion and acids from plant roots.
c. animal actions and oxygen.
d. rock type and climate.
____ 7. Soil formation begins with the weathering of
a. litter.
b. bedrock.
c. the A horizon.
d. humus.
____ 8. Soil that is rich in humus has high
a. fertility.
b. water content.
c. sand content.
d. clay content.
____ 9. Soil formation would take place most rapidly with the weathering of
a. granite on a mountain top.
b. limestone in a desert.
c. granite in a cold, dry climate.
d. limestone in a warm, wet climate.
____ 10. When earthworms add their wastes to the soil, then die and decay in the soil, they are
contributing to the formation of
a. silt.
b. litter.
c. humus.
d. clay.
____ 11. Living organisms in soil help to
a. slow the rate of soil formation.
b. build up the C horizon.
c. mix the soil and make humus.
d. prevent the formation of humus.
____ 12. Decomposers are the soil organisms that
a. store moisture in the soil.
b. break down and digest the remains of dead organisms.
c. make spaces in the soil for air and water.
d. burrow deep below the topsoil.
____ 13. Soil is a valuable resource because it
a. is important to all living things on land.
b. contains sand and gravel.
c. is rich in decomposers.
d. has all three soil horizons.
____ 14. How long did it take for the thick, fertile soil of the North American prairies to develop?
a. several years
b. dozens of years
c. hundreds of years
d. thousands of years
____ 15. What can cause the loss of soil that is not protected by plant cover?
a. chemical weathering
b. erosion by water or wind
c. mechanical weathering
d. too many organisms in the soil
____ 16. Plowing removed the grass from the Great Plains and exposed the soil. What effect did
this have when a drought struck the Great Plains during the 1930s?
a. It had no effect.
b. It reduced the soil’s fertility.
c. It helped to cause the Dust Bowl.
d. It prevented sod from developing.
____ 17. What term describes the management of soil to prevent its destruction?
a. soil exhaustion
b. soil decomposition
c. soil conservation
d. soil fertility
____ 18. The practice of plowing fields along the curves of a slope is called
 a. drought plowing.
b. contour plowing.
c. no-till plowing.
d. sod plowing.
____ 19. The growth of plant roots and animal activity may result in
a. mechanical weathering.
b. erosion.
c. chemical weathering.
d. abrasion.
____ 20. Granite lasts a long time when it is used for building in areas where the climate
a. does not have freezing and thawing.
b. is cool.
c. has lots of acid rain.
d. is hot and rainy.
____ 21. Most of the work of mixing humus within the soil is done by
a. fungi.
b. ants.
c. earthworms.
d. bacteria.
____ 22. A permeable rock weathers easily because it
a. is made up of small particles.
b. contains many small, connected airspaces.
c. is made up of only one mineral.
d. is made up of many minerals.
____ 23. Geologists infer from the rounded, eroded shapes of the Appalachian Mountains that
a. the principle of uniformitarianism does not apply.
b. the mountains formed recently.
c. the mountains are made of soft rock.
d. the mountains have been eroding for millions of years.
____ 24. In which soil layer would you find loam that is rich in humus
a. A horizon
b. B horizon
c. C horizon
d. bedrock
____ 25. The texture, or particle size, of soil determines
a. soil fertility.
b. whether the soil is topsoil or subsoil.
c. how much air and water the soil can hold.
d. how much litter will form.
____ 26. The type of soil called loam is made up of
a. pure humus.
b. mostly clay.
c. nearly equal amounts of silt, sand, and clay.
d. sand and gravel.
____ 27. In a cross section of soil, the B horizon consists of
a. clay, minerals, and little humus.
b. humus only.
c. partly weathered rock.
 d. topsoil.
____ 28. A marble statue is left exposed to the weather. Within a few years, the details on the statue
have begun to weather away. This weathering probably is caused by
a. oxygen in the air.
b. carbonic acid in rainwater.
c. lichens.
d. abrasion.
____ 29. In conservation plowing, why are dead weeds and stalks of the previous year’s crop left in
the ground?
a. to keep the soil from becoming too fertile
b. to reduce the amount of seed needed for the next year’s crop
c. to retain moisture and hold the soil in place
d. to keep more organisms out of the soil
____ 30. The geological principle stating that the same processes that operate today also operated
in the past is called
a. mechanical weathering.
b. chemical weathering.
c. uniformitarianism.
d. soil conservation.

Modified True/False
Indicate whether the sentence or statement is true or false. If false, change the identified word or phrase to
make the sentence or statement true.

____ 31. The movement of rock particles by ice, wind, water, or gravity is called weathering.
_________________________
____ 32. After chemical weathering, the chemical makeup of the weathered rock is the same as that of the
original rock. _________________________
____ 33. The rate of chemical weathering is faster in hot, wet climates than in cold, dry climates.
_________________________
____ 34. The type of weathering that occurs due to release of pressure is mechanical weathering.
_________________________
____ 35. The loose material on Earth’s surface that contains weathered rock particles and humus is
bedrock. _________________________
____ 36. The C horizon is a soil layer containing only partly weathered rock.
_________________________
____ 37. To restore soil’s fertility, a farmer might plant legumes as part of a soil conservation technique
called nutrient depletion.. _________________________
____ 38. The loose layer of leaves on the surface of the soil is called litter. _________________________
____ 39. A thick mass of tough roots called loess kept the fertile soil of the prairies in place and held on to
moisture. _________________________
____ 40. The practice of plowing fields along the curves of a slope is called contour plowing.
_________________________
Completion
Complete each sentence or statement.

41. The actions of animals most commonly can cause the type of weathering known as
____________________.
42. Some plants produce acids that result in ____________________ weathering.
43. One cause of mechanical weathering is ____________________, or the wearing away of rock by
rock particles.
44. Rapid chemical weathering can be caused by ____________________, which is rain combined
with pollutants.
45. A rock that contains tiny, connected spaces through which water can move is said to be
____________________.
46. One agent of chemical weathering is _________________________, which combines with water
to form carbonic acid.
47. Soil begins to form when the solid layer of rock called ____________________ weathers.
48. By leaving crop roots in the ground and stalks on the surface, no-till plowing helps prevent
____________________.
49. You would probably find the most decomposers in the soil layer called the
____________________.
50. Sandy top soil is said to be ____________________ because water drains quickly through the
spaces between the sand particles.
51. The best type of soil in which to grow plants is called ____________________.
52. The loose layer of plant remains that accumulates on the ground is called
____________________.
53. Humus makes soil ____________________, or rich in nutrients that plants need to grow.
54. Bacteria and fungi in soil are called ____________________ because they break down dead
plants and animals.
55. The thick mass of grass roots that helps hold prairie soil in place is called
____________________.
56. Water and wind can ____________________ soil, or carry it away.
57. In the 1930s, an area in the southern Plains states was named the ____________________
because the topsoil turned to dust.
58. A type of plowing known as _________________________ helps conserve soil by disturbing it
as little as possible.
59. In the Great Plains, ____________________ removed the grass and exposed the soil to wind
erosion.
60. Two factors that determine the rate of weathering are the type of rock and the
____________________.
Short Answer

Use the diagram to answer each question.

61. In which layer of soil in the diagram would you find humus? What is the soil in this layer called?
62. Which layer of soil in the diagram is made up only of partly weathered rock? What is this layer
called?
63. Which layer in the diagram provides the basic material that forms soil? Of what material is this
layer made?
 64. Which layer of soil in the diagram contains fine soil particles and minerals but little organic
matter? What is this layer called?
65. What is litter and where can you find it in the diagram?
66. The top three layers in the diagram are the three soil horizons. Which of the soil horizons forms
last? Explain your answer.

Use the diagram to answer each question.

67. In which parts of the United States are mountain soils found?
68. Compare the soils in the eastern and central United States.
69. Excluding Alaska and Hawaii, which soil type occupies the largest area on the map?
70. What types of soils occur in the United States, excluding Alaska and Hawaii?
71. Which soils are found in Alaska?
72. Which soil type in the United States covers the smallest area?

Essay

73. Explain why plants will not grow well in soil that is mostly clay or sand.
74. Describe two ways burrowing animals enrich soil with substances that plants need to grow.
75. Explain how every living thing on land depends on soil.
76. Describe how freezing and thawing of water causes mechanical weathering.
77. Compare and contrast topsoil and subsoil.
78. Explain how oxygen causes chemical weathering.
79. Describe three ways soil can be damaged or lost.
80. For hundreds of years, an ancient statue had been kept outdoors in a country with a dry, mild
climate. A U.S. city bought the statue and placed it outdoors in a park. The city has hot, rainy
summers, freezing winter temperatures, and air pollution from the burning of coal in a power
plant. Predict how the city’s climate will affect the weathering of the statue.
Chapter 2 Weathering and Soil Formation Sample Test
Answer Section

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. ANS: C DIF: L1 REF: p. G-41 OBJ: G.2.1.2

STO: 5.8.C.1
2. ANS: D DIF: L2 REF: p. G-41 OBJ: G.2.1.2
STO: 5.8.C.1
3. ANS: C DIF: L2 REF: p. G-42 OBJ: G.2.1.2
STO: 5.8.C.1
4. ANS: C DIF: L3 REF: p. G-43 OBJ: G.2.1.2
STO: 5.8.C.1
5. ANS: D DIF: L1 REF: p. G-45 OBJ: G.2.1.3
STO: 5.8.C.1
6. ANS: D DIF: L1 REF: p. G-44 OBJ: G.2.1.3
STO: 5.8.C.1, 5.3.D.1.a
7. ANS: B DIF: L3 REF: p. G-50 OBJ: G.2.2.1
STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.8.C.1
8. ANS: A DIF: L1 REF: p. G-49 OBJ: G.2.2.1
STO: 5.8.A.1
9. ANS: D DIF: L2 REF: p. G-50 OBJ: G.2.2.1
STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.8.C.1
10. ANS: C DIF: L2 REF: p. G-49 OBJ: G.2.2.1
STO: 5.8.A.1
11. ANS: C DIF: L2 REF: p. G-52 OBJ: G.2.2.3
STO: 5.8.A.1
12. ANS: B DIF: L1 REF: p. G-53 OBJ: G.2.2.3
STO: 5.8.A.1
13. ANS: A DIF: L1 REF: p. G-57 OBJ: G.2.3.1
STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.2.B.1, 5.2.B.2
14. ANS: D DIF: L2 REF: p. G-57 OBJ: G.2.3.1
STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.2.B.1, 5.2.B.2
15. ANS: B DIF: L2 REF: p. G-58 OBJ: G.2.3.2
STO: 5.10.B.1
16. ANS: C DIF: L2 REF: p. G-58 OBJ: G.2.3.2
STO: 5.10.B.1
17. ANS: C DIF: L1 REF: p. G-59 OBJ: G.2.3.3
STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.10.B.1, 5.8.C.1
18. ANS: B DIF: L1 REF: p. G-59 OBJ: G.2.3.3
STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.10.B.1, 5.8.C.1
19. ANS: A DIF: L1 REF: p. G-41 OBJ: G.2.1.2
STO: 5.8.C.1
20. ANS: B DIF: L3 REF: p. G-45 OBJ: G.2.1.3
STO: 5.8.C.1
21. ANS: C DIF: L1 REF: p. G-54 OBJ: G.2.2.3
STO: 5.8.A.1
22. ANS: B DIF: L2 REF: p. G-44 OBJ: G.2.1.3
 STO: 5.8.C.1, 5.3.D.1.a
23. ANS: D DIF: L3 REF: p. G-39 OBJ: G.2.1.1
STO: 5.1.A.1, 5.8.C.1
24. ANS: A DIF: L2 REF: p. G-49 OBJ: G.2.2.1
STO: 5.8.A.1
25. ANS: C DIF: L2 REF: p. G-49 OBJ: G.2.2.1
STO: 5.8.A.1
26. ANS: C DIF: L1 REF: p. G-49 OBJ: G.2.2.1
STO: 5.8.A.1
27. ANS: A DIF: L2 REF: p. G-50 OBJ: G.2.2.1
STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.8.C.1
28. ANS: B DIF: L3 REF: p. G-43 OBJ: G.2.1.2
STO: 5.8.C.1
29. ANS: C DIF: L2 REF: p. G-59 OBJ: G.2.3.3
STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.10.B.1, 5.8.C.1
30. ANS: C DIF: L2 REF: p. G-39 OBJ: G.2.1.1
STO: 5.1.A.1, 5.8.C.1

MODIFIED TRUE/FALSE

31. ANS: F, erosion

DIF: L1 REF: p. G-39 OBJ: G.2.1.1 STO: 5.1.A.1, 5.8.C.1

32. ANS: F, different from

DIF: L3 REF: p. G-42 OBJ: G.2.1.2 STO: 5.8.C.1

33. ANS: T DIF: L2 REF: p. G-44, p. G-45
OBJ: G.2.1.3 STO: 5.8.C.1, 5.3.D.1.a
34. ANS: T DIF: L1 REF: p. G-41
OBJ: G.2.1.2 STO: 5.8.C.1
35. ANS: F, soil

DIF: L3 REF: p. G-49 OBJ: G.2.2.1 STO: 5.8.A.1

36. ANS: T DIF: L1 REF: p. G-50
OBJ: G.2.2.1 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.8.C.1
37. ANS: F, crop rotation

DIF: L2 REF: p. G-59 OBJ: G.2.3.3 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.10.B.1,

5.8.C.1
38. ANS: T DIF: L1 REF: p. G-52
OBJ: G.2.2.3 STO: 5.8.A.1
39. ANS: F, sod

DIF: L1 REF: p. G-56 OBJ: G.2.3.1 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.10.B.1

40. ANS: T DIF: L1 REF: p. G-59
OBJ: G.2.3.3 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.10.B.1, 5.8.C.1

COMPLETION
41. ANS: mechanical

DIF: L2 REF: p. G-41 OBJ: G.2.1.2 STO: 5.8.C.1

42. ANS: chemical

DIF: L2 REF: p. G-43 OBJ: G.2.1.2 STO: 5.8.C.1

43. ANS: abrasion

DIF: L1 REF: p. G-41 OBJ: G.2.1.2 STO: 5.8.C.1

44. ANS: acid rain

DIF: L3 REF: p. G-43 OBJ: G.2.1.2 STO: 5.8.C.1

45. ANS: permeable

DIF: L1 REF: p. G-44 OBJ: G.2.1.3 STO: 5.8.C.1, 5.3.D.1.a

46. ANS: carbon dioxide

DIF: L2 REF: p. G-43 OBJ: G.2.1.2 STO: 5.8.C.1

47. ANS: bedrock

DIF: L2 REF: p. G-50 OBJ: G.2.2.1 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.8.C.1

48. ANS: soil erosion

DIF: L3 REF: p. G-59 OBJ: G.2.3.3 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.10.B.1,

5.8.C.1
49. ANS: A horizon

DIF: L2 REF: p. G-50 OBJ: G.2.2.1 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.8.C.1

50. ANS: permeable

DIF: L2 REF: p. G-50 OBJ: G.2.2.1 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.8.C.1

51. ANS: loam

DIF: L2 REF: p. G-49 OBJ: G.2.2.1 STO: 5.8.A.1

52. ANS: litter

DIF: L1 REF: p. G-52 OBJ: G.2.2.3 STO: 5.8.A.1

53. ANS: fertile

DIF: L3 REF: p. G-49 OBJ: G.2.2.1 STO: 5.8.A.1

54. ANS: decomposers

DIF: L3 REF: p. G-53 OBJ: G.2.2.3 STO: 5.8.A.1

55. ANS: sod

DIF: L1 REF: p. G-56 OBJ: G.2.3.1 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.10.B.1

56. ANS: erode
 DIF: L3 REF: p. G-58 OBJ: G.2.3.2 STO: 5.10.B.1
57. ANS: Dust Bowl

DIF: L1 REF: p. G-58 OBJ: G.2.3.2 STO: 5.10.B.1

58. ANS: conservation plowing

DIF: L1 REF: p. G-59 OBJ: G.2.3.3 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.10.B.1,

5.8.C.1
59. ANS: plowing

DIF: L2 REF: p. G-58 OBJ: G.2.3.2 STO: 5.10.B.1

60. ANS: climate

DIF: L1 REF: p. G-44 OBJ: G.2.1.3 STO: 5.8.C.1, 5.3.D.1.a

SHORT ANSWER

61. ANS:
Layer 1, called topsoil (or the A horizon)

DIF: L1 REF: p. G-50 OBJ: G.2.2.1 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.8.C.1

62. ANS:
Layer 3, called the C horizon

DIF: L1 REF: p. G-50 OBJ: G.2.2.1 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.8.C.1

63. ANS:
Layer 4, which is made of bedrock (or unweathered rock)

DIF: L3 REF: p. G-50 OBJ: G.2.2.1 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.8.C.1

64. ANS:
Layer 2, called subsoil (or the B horizon)

DIF: L2 REF: p. G-50 OBJ: G.2.2.1 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.8.C.1

65. ANS:
Litter is a layer of dead plant material, such as leaves and stems, that forms on the surface of the
soil. In the diagram, the litter lies just above Layer 1.

DIF: L2 REF: p. G-52 OBJ: G.2.2.3 STO: 5.8.A.1

66. ANS:
Layer 2, the B horizon, forms last. The B horizon forms after the A horizon as rainwater washes
clay and minerals down from the A horizon. The B horizon, also called subsoil, contains little
humus.

DIF: L3 REF: p. G-50 OBJ: G.2.2.1 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.8.C.1

67. ANS:
Mountain soils are found in the western part of the United States, as well as in Alaska and
Hawaii.

DIF: L2 REF: p. G-51 OBJ: G.2.2.2 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.1.B.3,

 5.1.B.1
68. ANS:
The eastern states have forest soils, but the central states have primarily prairie soils.

DIF: L3 REF: p. G-51 OBJ: G.2.2.2 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.1.B.3,

5.1.B.1
69. ANS:
forest soils in the eastern United States

DIF: L1 REF: p. G-51 OBJ: G.2.2.2 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.1.B.3,

5.1.B.1
70. ANS:
Four major soil types occur in the 48 contiguous states: forest soils, prairie soils, mountain soils,
and desert soils.

DIF: L2 REF: p. G-51 OBJ: G.2.2.2 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.1.B.3,

5.1.B.1
71. ANS:
forest soils, mountain soils, and tundra soils

DIF: L1 REF: p. G-51 OBJ: G.2.2.2 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.1.B.3,

5.1.B.1
72. ANS:
tropical soils

DIF: L1 REF: p. G-51 OBJ: G.2.2.2 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.1.B.3,

5.1.B.1

ESSAY

73. ANS:
Clay-rich soil will hold too much water, and plants will “drown” for lack of air. Sandy soil will
drain quickly, and plants may not get enough water.

DIF: L3 REF: p. G-49 OBJ: G.2.2.1 STO: 5.8.A.1

74. ANS:
Students’ answers should mention two of the following: burrowing animals mix humus through
the soil; they add nitrogen to the soil when they excrete waste; they add organic material when
they die and decay; they mix air into the soil that provides oxygen to plant roots.

DIF: L2 REF: p. G-54 OBJ: G.2.2.3 STO: 5.8.A.1

75. ANS:
Plants depend directly on soil to live and grow. Animals depend on plants to live and grow, or on
other animals that depend on plants.

DIF: L1 REF: p. G-57 OBJ: G.2.3.1 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.2.B.1,

5.2.B.2
76. ANS:
 Water seeps into cracks in rocks. The water freezes when the temperature drops. Because water
expands when it freezes, the ice forces the cracks to become larger. When the ice thaws, water
seeps deeper into the crack. The process continues until the rock breaks apart.

DIF: L2 REF: p. G-41 OBJ: G.2.1.2 STO: 5.8.C.1

77. ANS:
Topsoil makes up the uppermost soil layer. In addition to clay and other minerals, topsoil contains
humus, which colors the soil a dark brown. Topsoil is the best soil in which to grow plants.
Subsoil makes up the soil layer below topsoil. It is made mostly of clay and other minerals and
contains little humus.

DIF: L3 REF: p. G-50 OBJ: G.2.2.1 STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.8.C.1

78. ANS:
Oxygen combines with iron in the presence of water in a process called oxidation. Rock that
contains iron oxidizes, or rusts. Oxidation may make the rock soft and crumbly and change it to a
reddish color.

DIF: L2 REF: p. G-43 OBJ: G.2.1.2 STO: 5.8.C.1

79. ANS:
First, damage to soil occurs when it becomes exhausted, or loses its fertility. Loss of fertility can
result from planting the same crop in the soil year after year. Second, soil can be damaged or lost
when it is not protected from water erosion. Normally, plant roots hold the soil in place. If plants
are removed from the soil, rain can easily wash the soil away. Third, wind erosion can result in
the loss of dry, unprotected soil. One example of wind erosion was the Dust Bowl on the Great
Plains.

DIF: L3 REF: p. G-57, p. G-58 OBJ: G.2.3.2

STO: 5.8.A.1, 5.2.B.1, 5.2.B.2, 5.10.B.1
80. ANS:
Because the climate is wet and hot for part of the year, chemical weathering will occur more
quickly than it did in the statue’s previous location. If there are any small cracks in the statue,
freezing temperatures could cause mechanical weathering by ice wedging. Acid rain resulting
from the air pollution could also speed up chemical weathering of the statue.

DIF: L3 REF: p. G-42, p. G-43, p. G-44, p. G-45 OBJ: G.2.1.2, G.2.1.3

STO: 5.8.C.1, 5.3.D.1.a