ENGLISH III.

Ms. Carolina Zambrano

Investigation report
Evidence 3.

Group: 501

Name. ID.

Emmanuel López 1815783

Aranza Denisse Vital Grappin 1726651

Laura Gisela Guerrero Vela 1889940

Frida Sabina Del Angel Balderas 1808391

San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León a 02 de marzo del 2019.

 Soil’s chemical structure and composition.

The soil is formed through several physical, chemical and biological processes, this
is called meteorization. One important process of the soil, is the lixiviation, this is
when soil water goes deeper and deeper and in this way the exchange of elements
takes place in the soil. The soil is classified depending of the depth. These
classifications are denominated horizonts, and there are three of them:
- Horizon A: Formed with mineral’s particles and fresh organic matter. A lot of
lixiviation happens in this horizon, mainly of salts of iron, aluminum and
manganese, these salts counters the organic matter accumulation.
- Horizon B: In here we can find the accumulation of the compounds of
lixiviation that comes from the horizon A.
- Horizon C:This is the deepest of the three. Small amount of particulate
material, small meteorization, and almost inexistent lixiviation.

The volumetric composition of the soil is:

- 50% solid matter: 45% mineral, 5% organic.
- 20-30% aqueous solutions.
- 20-30% air.

The chemical composition of the soil varies with the type or rock, the types of rock
are:
- Igneous rocks: formed by the solidification of molten material. constitute
mainly by liquid silicates.
- Sedimentary rocks: result of the sedimentation of material disposed by the
wind, water, ice or gravity. This material can be aluminum, silice or iron.
- There are also other materials that
composes this type of rock: arsenics,
slates, limestones, clays, etcetera.
- Metamorphic rocks: These are formed
by the recrystallization of the igneous
or sedimentary rocks.

There are different mechanisms of

meteorization:
- Dissolution: Is when a rock gets
dissolved.
- Hydration and hydrolysis: Interactions
between the rocks and the water.
- Carbonation: Interaction between the
rock and the atmospheric CO2
- Oxidation: When a rock gets oxidized.

References:
Doménech, X. (2000). Química del suelo. 3rd ed. Madrid: Miraguano, S.A., p.12.