Lesson: Science 4 Comparing The Different Types of Soil

Science 4
Comparing the Different Types of Soil
LESSON
Soil is a very broad term and refers to the loose layer of earth that
covers the surface of the planet. The soil is the part of the earth’s surface which
includes disintegrated rock, humus, inorganic and organic materials.
For soil to form from rocks, it takes an average of 500 years or more. The soil
is usually formed when rocks break up into their constituent parts.
When a range of different forces acts on the rocks, they break into smaller parts
to form the soil. These forces also include the impact of wind, water and the reaction
from salts.
There are various types of soil that undergo diverse environmental pressures.
Soil is mainly classified by its texture, proportions and different forms of organic and
mineral compositions. Which we have already learned in our previous lesson.
Let us take a look at the pictures . Below are pictures of soil. Observe. How
does the two types of soil differ from each other based on their physical
appearances? (color, texture, particles , ability to absorb water, etc.)
Pic 1-sand soil Pic 2-clay soil
Sandy soil consists of small particles of weathered rock. It is one of the poorest
types of soil for growing plants because it has very low nutrients and poor in holding
water, which makes it hard for the plant’s roots to absorb water. This type of soil is very
good for the drainage system. Sandy soil is usually formed by the
breakdown or fragmentation of rocks like granite, limestone, and quartz.
The other is clay soil, which are tightly packed together with each
other with very little or no airspace. This soil has very good water storage qualities
and making hard for moisture and air to penetrate into it. It is very sticky to the
touch when wet, but smooth when dried. Clay is the densest and heaviest type of
soil which do not drain well or provide space for plant roots to flourish.
Here is another sets of picture. Observe and tell how each type of
soil differ from each other.
Pic 1- loam soil Pic 2- peat soil

The picture shows loam and peat soil. Loam soil has the ability to retain
moisture and nutrients, hence, it is more suitable for farming. This soil is also
referred to as an agricultural soil as it includes an equilibrium of all three types of
soil materials being sandy, clay, and silt and it also happens to have humus. Apart
from these, it also has higher calcium and pH levels because of its inorganic origins.
While peat soil is high in organic matter and retains a large amount of
moisture.This type of soil is very rarely found in a garden and often imported into a
garden to provide an optimum soil base for planting.
Let’s have another type of soil. Look at the pictures below. What can you say
about these types of soil? Do you think they have the same characteristics?
Pic.1-chalk Soil Pic.2-silt soil

As you can see in the pictures the given types of soil have
different characteristics. It is because silt, which is known to have
much smaller particles compared to the sandy soil and is made up
of rock and other mineral particles which are smaller than sand
and larger than clay. It is the smooth and quite fine quality of the
soil that holds water better than sand. Silt is easily transported by
moving currents and it is mainly found near the river, lake, and
other water bodies.
While chalk soil is can be either light or heavy but always
highly alkaline due to the calcium carbonate or lime within its
structure.
Study the table below. What can you say with the information
given? Are soil really have different characteristics?
Characteristics of Soil
Types of
Soil Water
particles size texture color
absorbability
sandy coarse small gritty light gray poor
better than
silt mostly sand moderately fine dark brown
sand
smaller
loam mostly sand soft dark brown best
than sand
clay smallest smallest heavy brown slow
mostly
chalk small light brown least
bedrock
peat mostly sand small fine dark good
As you can see on the table the different types of soil has their
own characteristics meaning they have their own ability to sustain
the life of living things. They have different characteristics in terms
of color, sizes, textures, particles and water absorbability.
Importance of Soil to Living Things and

Investigate the Characteristics as to their Ability
to Grow Plants
Soil is our life support system. Soils provide anchorage for
roots, hold water and nutrients. Soils are home to myriad micro-
organisms that fix nitrogen and decompose organic matter, and
armies of microscopic animals as well as earthworms and termites.
We build on soil as well as with it and in i
Pic 1-construction Pic 2-preventing flood

The picture shows that soil plays a vital role in the Earth’s
ecosystem. Without soil human life would be very difficult. Soil
provides plants with foothold for their roots and holds the
necessary nutrients for plants to grow; it filters the rainwater and
regulates the
discharge of excess rainwater, preventing flooding; it is

capable of storing large amounts of organic carbon; it buffers
against pollutants, thus protecting groundwater quality; it provides
man with some essential construction and manufacturing
materials, we build our houses with bricks made from clay, we
drink coffee from a cup that is essentially backed soil (clay); it also
presents a record of past environmental conditions.
Another picture below shows why soil plays a great role in our
life as human and plants. Tell why do we say so that soil is
important to us living things as have been shown in the picture
below.
Pic1-importance of soil to animals Pic 2- importance of soil to plants
The picture shows that soil is important to all living things on

earth because it is the source of four essential ‘living’ factors,
namely, food, clothes, shelter and medicine, all of which either
directly or indirectly coming from the soil.
For plants, the soil is very important to their growth and yield
because for plants to be able to grow and bear flowers or fruits they
rely on the soil as the base for their roots can adhere so that their
trunks can stand strongly and firmly, not to fall down easily.
The soil is the source of nutrients necessary for the plants to
use in various productive processes to create flowers, leaves and
fruits. Besides, the soil is also the water storage or the moisture
that plants will absorb to feed their trunks and branches and the
source of air for the plants to transpire too. In a soil with good air
ventilation, the plant’s roots can grow strongly, can absorb more
water and nutrients, enabling the plants to grow strongly and yield
high production.
Study the table below and tell whether how the
characteristics of each types of soil affects plant growth. Do plants
grow in any types of soil?
Types of soil Characteristicsof Ability to Grow
each Plants
Type
Sandy large with lots of veryfew plants can
space between each grow on it
grain
Clay particles are dense many plants
and sticky struggle in this type
of soil
Loam a mixture of sand, ideal and best blend
clay and silt of soil for growing
plants
silt larger than clay and it can
smaller than sand but support plant
it is fertile growth
As youcan see in the table, the growth of plants depends on

the kind of soil where we are going to plant them. So, the best
soil for growing plants is loam soil, but plants can also grow in
silt because it can also support plant growth unlike the sand and
clay which plants may struggle and will not grow on it.
Here are images that show plants really grow differently in
different types of soil.
Sandy soil Loam soil Clay soil Silt soil
The first and third images show that plants do not grow well in
sandy and clay soil, while the second and last images show that
plants grow well in loam and silt soil

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Science 4

Comparing the Different Types of Soil

Pic 1-sand soil Pic 2-clay soil

Pic 1- loam soil Pic 2- peat soil

Pic.1-chalk Soil Pic.2-silt soil

sandy coarse small gritty light gray poor

clay smallest smallest heavy brown slow

peat mostly sand small fine dark good

Importance of Soil to Living Things and

Pic 1-construction Pic 2-preventing flood

discharge of excess rainwater, preventing flooding; it is

Pic1-importance of soil to animals Pic 2- importance of soil to plants

The picture shows that soil is important to all living things on

As youcan see in the table, the growth of plants depends on

Sandy soil Loam soil Clay soil Silt soil

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