What is soil?

A: Soil is a naturally occurring mixture of minerals and organic materials.

What are the four classifications of mineral particles in soil?
A: The four classifications of the mineral particles are Minerals, Water, Air, and organic
matter.
What other types of matter can be included in soil?
A: The other types of matter that could be included are live plants, animals, and dead
rotting animals.
How is soil formed?
A: Soil develops because of the interactions of climate, living organisms, and the
landscape positions.
What is a soil scientist?
A: A soil scientist studies the upper meters of the earth's crust, a scientist that studies
soil.
What is a soil survey?
A: A soil survey is a research paper that has the texture, color, structure, and reaction of
the soil and the relationship and thickness of the different soil horizons.
What type of information does a soil survey provide for construction
engineers?
A: The info it gives engineers is what they can do on the land like the texture, color, and
structure.

Soil Liquid Organic Percent Percent Percent Plasticity Plastic USCS

Classification Limit Matter Clay Sand Silt Index Limit Classification
(percent) (percent) PL= LL- PI

Wilkes 33.8% .55 26.3 47 26.6 12.2Very fine21.6

loam, 4 to 8
percent sands.
slopes Rock
flours.
Wilkes 33.8% .55 26.3 47 26.6 12.2 21.6 Very fine
loam, 8 to
15 percent sands.
slopes Rock
flours.
- Specifically, research the limitations (if any) for installation of septic tank
absorption fields.
A: The Septic Tank absorption have a very limited rating with Depth to bedrock.
- Research the limitation for small commercial buildings. Record your
findings in your notebook.
A: The Wilkes loam, 4-8 has a somewhat limited and the Wilkes Loam, 8-15 has a very
limited rating.

2010 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

Civil Engineering and Architecture Activity 3.4.4 Web Soil Survey Page 1