Soil Science- Quiz 2

Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic are three ______.

types of rocks.

The mixed angular gravel, rock, and soil found at the foot of a slope is typical of what type of parent material?

Colluvial

Floodplain deposits can be recognized by the distinct layering of different size and kinds of particles.

True

Organic matter accumulation is most pronounced in the ______.

O horizon

True or False: A soil developed in residual parent materials will likely have properties related to the properties of the rock below the C horizon.

True

True or False: Animals, insects, and worms affect soil formation primarily by mixing the soil, which increases the pore space where air and water move.

True

True or False: Chemical weathering is accelerated by water, oxygen, and organic and inorganic acids moving down through the regolith.

True

True or False: Elluviation of clay, iron, and other materials is the principal process responsible for the formation of an E horizon.

True

True or False: Marine sediments are typical parent materials in coastal plain areas.

True

True or False: Organic deposits are common in areas where water ponds for extended periods of time.

True

True or False: Residual parent materials have formed in place and have not been transported from one area to another.

True

True or False: Sapric and fibric are terms used to describe peat parent materials.

True

True or False: Secondary minerals are recrystallized products of the chemical breakdown and/or alteration of primary minerals.

True

Glacial till is a term used to describe parent materials that ____.

contain a heterogeneous mixture of mineral debris dropped by receding glaciers.

Silicate clay accumulation is most common in the _____.

B horizon

Silicate clay accumulation is most common in the ______.

B horizon

The element most often involved in oxidation and reduction reactions as soils weather is _____.

Iron

The reaction: mica +H2O --> K+ + OH- + acid clay is an example of _____.

Chemical weathering

Hydrolysis involves the splitting of water into its H+ and OH- components while hydration attaches intact water molecules to a compound.

False

Sandstones are good examples of igneous rocks.

False

Soils developed in wind-blown parent materials such as loess are generally of little agricultural value.

False

True or False: A soil developed in transported parent materials will likely have properties related to the properties of the rock below the C horizon.

False

True or False: Even if all the glaciers present today in the world were to melt, the melt water would have no measurable effect on the level of the world's oceans.

False

True or False: Glacial till is laid down by melt waters gushing out from the front of glaciers.

False

True or False: Sandstones are good examples of igneous rocks.

False

True or False: The C horizons are generally more completely weathered than the other horizons.

False

True or False: The parent materials for most coastal plain soils are residual in nature.

False

True or False: The topmost horizon in most cool-humid forest soils is the A horizon.

False

Which of the following is not a secondary mineral?

Hornblende

Climate influences not only the rate of weathering but the type of native vegetation dominant in an area.

True

The presence of rocks such as shale and sandstone indicate the existence of _______.

ancient seas.

If you wanted to find a soil where physical weathering dominated over chemical breakdown you would be most apt to find it in _______.

desert region of Arizona.

Which mineral is most resistant to weathering under humid temperate conditions?

gibbsite

Granite is an example of a ____.

igneous rock.

Residual parent materials are best described as:

materials formed by weathering of rocks and minerals in place.

Igneous rocks can best be characterized as ______.

rocks formed when molten magma solidifies.

Alluvial fans are usually characterized by _______ soils.

sandy and gravelly.

Mechanical weathering processes result in ________.

the disintegration of rocks due to differential expansion of minerals.

Which of the following is not considered one of the five major factors influencing soil formation?

valence state

Biotite-->intermediary secondary mineral--->iron oxide This represents a ________.

weathering sequence.