What can you observe

with the rocks and

stones on the beach?
How is soil formed
from rocks?
 SOIL
▪ the thin layer of material covering the
earth’s surface and is formed from the
weathering of rocks. It is made up mainly
of mineral particles, organic materials,
air, water and living organisms—all of
which interact slowly yet constantly.
SOIL
▪ Most plants get their nutrients from the soil and they
are the main source of food for humans, animals and
birds. Therefore, most living things on land depend
on soil for their existence.
▪ Soil is a valuable resource that needs to be carefully
managed as it is easily damaged, washed or blown
away. If we understand soil and manage it properly, we
will avoid destroying one of the essential building
blocks of our environment and our food security.
 Soil Composition:
▪ Soil is a mixture of four materials:
▪ Weathered rock particles
(Main ingredient)
▪ Organic matter (5 Percent)
▪ HUMUS- decayed organic matter
▪ Water (20 to 30 percent of soil)
▪ Air (20 to 30 percent of soil)
 HOW SOIL IS FORMED?
▪  Over million of years, the forces of weathering and erosion, slowly
but constantly have produced a layer of broken pieces of rock all
over the earth’s surface.
▪ The size of these rock pieces varies from boulders to the finest
bits.
▪ The layer composed of pieces of rock is called ROCK MANTLE.
▪ As the forces of wind and water go on breaking and decomposing
the rock mantle, a layer of fine loose materials is formed. This is
referred to as SOIL.
▪ SOIL- It is made up of tiny grains of rocks and materials.
 HOW SOIL IS FORMED?
▪ The natural processes of weathering and erosion
bring about important changes on the surface rock.
▪ These processes consistently break, carry off and
deposit loose surface materials from where they
are formed to other places.
▪ The continued action of water and wind changes
the rock pieces into finer particles, thus forming
boulders, gravel, sand and clay.
 SOIL IS FORMED BY WEATHERING

▪ The natural processes that slowly

breaks rocks into little pieces is called
WEATHERING.
▪ It is a very slow but continuous process.
▪ It wears down the surface of the earth.
The Hundred Islands in the Philippines is made
through continuous weathering of rocks around the
islands.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SOIL FORMATION

▪ PARENT MATERIAL—minerals forming the basis of soil

▪ LIVING ORGANISMS—influencing soil formation
▪ CLIMATE—affecting the rate of weathering and organic
decomposition
▪ TOPOGRAPHY—grade of slope affecting drainage, erosion
and deposition
▪ TIME—influencing soil properties.
TYPES OF WEATHERING
 MECHANICAL WEATHERING
▪ Mechanical weathering includes processes that break rocks to
pieces without changing their chemical composition. It is brought
about by severe environmental conditions.
▪ a) Rapid changes in temperature.
During the day the rock are heated and then expand. At night, they
are cooled and then contract. Since rocks are composed of minerals,
these minerals expand and contract too. This alternate expansion and
contraction causes the rocks to crack, especially if the minerals
expand and contract in unequal amounts.
Sometimes this alternate expansion and contraction may
cause the rocks to peel off in thin sheets. This peeling off
process is called exfoliation.
b) Force of freezing
water.
▪ Water may enter the
cracks or crevices in
rocks. When it freezes
it expands by about
9% of its volume,
causing the rock to
split.
c) Roots of trees.
▪ Some seeds are
accidentally thrown
into the cracks in
rocks. When they
grow, the roots creep
in and the force of
their growing can split
rocks.
d) Burrowing
animals.
▪ Animals such as
earthworms, ants and
the larvae of other
insects dig into the
rocks, thus exposing
fresh surfaces to
further weathering.
e) The wind.
▪The wind with
its load of fine
rock particles
may rub or
abrade exposed
rock surfaces.
f) Rocks.
▪ Rocks also wear away other
rocks. Rocks on a hillside may
roll down and rub against
other rock surfaces. Rocks
dropping from a higher place
often break the rocks they hit
farther down. Small pieces of
rocks like sand and gravel
may scratch other rocks as
they are carried off by water.
g) The beating force of water
can break rocks.
▪ The exposed rock in a river bank
can be observed to have smooth
rounded surfaces. The sharp edges
have been worn away by the
constant flowing of the water. The
stones you can see in river beds
differ from those in other places.
Their surfaces are smoother and
they are more rounded in shape.
Peebles on the seashore are
smooth and rounded for the same
reason.
 CHEMICAL WEATHERING
▪ In chemical weathering, the
composition of the rock is altered.
▪ A new product which easily
crumbles to pieces is formed.
Chemical weathering is brought
about by a chemical reaction
between the minerals in the
rocks and carbon dioxide,
oxygen or water.
 BIOLOGICAL WEATHERING
▪ Biological weathering
involves the
disintegration of rock
and minerals due to
the chemical and/ or
physical agents of an
organisms.
Limestone Rock Formation in Caramoan,
Camarines Sur
Biri Rock Formation Biri, Northern Samar
Rock Formation in Magpupingko Pool
Pilar, Siargao
Rock Formation in Paguriran Island
Sawanga, Bacon District, Sorsogon City
Rock Formation in Tikling Island Matnog,
Sorsogon
To sum it up, the processes of
soil formation is as follows:
 FIVE ESSENTIAL FUNCTION OF SOIL
1. Regulates the flow of water on land.
2. Sustains plant and animal life.
3. Filters potential pollutants. The minerals and microbes in soil
are responsible for filtering, buffering, degrading, immobilizing
and detoxifying organic and inorganic materials including
industrial and municipal by-products and atmospheric deposits.
4. Aids in cycling nutrients.
5. Supports structures of Earth.