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A Rainbow of Soil

The document discusses the various colors of soil recognized by geologists, highlighting that soil color can indicate its nutrient content and moisture levels. Darker soils are typically nutrient-rich due to higher humus content, while lighter soils are often leached of organic material. The passage emphasizes the educational value of soil color in geological studies.

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Sarah Zafirah
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12 views1 page

A Rainbow of Soil

The document discusses the various colors of soil recognized by geologists, highlighting that soil color can indicate its nutrient content and moisture levels. Darker soils are typically nutrient-rich due to higher humus content, while lighter soils are often leached of organic material. The passage emphasizes the educational value of soil color in geological studies.

Uploaded by

Sarah Zafirah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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A Rainbow of Soil

By Erin Horner

It might not be as colorful as a rainbow in the sky, but


soil is not all boring and brown. Geologists officially
recognize more than one hundred seventy different colors of
soil. Most of these are shades of black, brown, red, gray, and
white. Scientists can learn a lot about soil from its color.
Normally, darker soil contains the most nutrients. Dark soil
tends to have the most humus, or decayed organic matter.
Scientists have also observed that soil with a red or yellow
hue contains oxidized iron. This soil alternates between
being wet and dry throughout the year. It may also be dry
during a growing season. Gray or blue soil, on the other
hand, is normally wet most of the time. Light colored soil
tends to be leached. The organic material in this soil is
washed away faster than it can be replaced. Color is just one
characteristic geologists observe when learning about soil. It
might not have all the colors of the rainbow, but to a
geologist, the spectrum of soil colors is still an awesome
(and educational!) sight.

A Rainbow of Soil

Questions

1. Why does leached soil tend to be a light color?

2. What can the reader infer after reading this passage?


A. Dark soil contains oxidized iron.
B. Most soil is all the same color.
C. Light colored soil is full of organic material.
D. You would be most likely to find gray soil in an area where it rains most of the year.

3. Why does dark soil tend to have the most nutrients?


A. It is leached.
B. It gets the most water.
C. It normally has a lot of humus.
D. It is dry most of the year.

4. Which of the following is used to signal a comparison between red or yellow soil and gray or
blue soil?
A. however
B. likewise
on the other hand

C. similarly

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