Chapter 7: Rocks and Soil
Complete Question Answers

Warm-up & Activity

4 things in soil: Small pebbles, dead leaves, worms/insects, different soil colors

Easy to crush: Chalk
Why: Chalk is soft rock, Marble is hard rock.

Check Your Progress: T / F

1. Rocks are made up of minerals. T

2. Minerals are large particles. F

3. Granite is a soft rock. F

4. Chalk is a hard rock. F

A. Multiple Choice Questions

1. Hard rock: Granite

2. Cannot be broken easily: Chalk

3. Not a factor in soil formation: Rain

4. Layer from dead plants/animals: Humus

5. Retains lot of water: Clayey soil

B. Fill in the blanks

1. Rock is made of minerals.

2. Chalk is a soft rock.

3. Changes in weather and heat of Sun break rocks.

4. Clayey soil used by potters.

5. Loamy soil = clayey + sandy soil.

C. True / False

1. Minerals are large particles. F

2. Sandy soil made of small sand particles. F

3. Loamy soil ideal for growing plants. T

4. Plant roots cannot stay fixed. F

5. Soil gives home to small animals. T

D. Who am I?

1. Chalk

2. Slate

3. Loamy soil

4. Earthworm

5. Clayey soil

E. Name

1. Top layer of Earth: Soil

2. Two hard rocks: Granite, Marble

3. Two soft rocks: Chalk, Slate

4. Bottom layer of soil: Gravel

5. Soil for utensils: Clayey soil

F. Long Answer Questions

1. Types of Rocks
Hard rocks: Granite, Marble - cannot break easily
Soft rocks: Chalk, Slate - can break easily

2. Soil Formation
Soil forms by weathering. Sun, rain, wind and weather break big rocks into small pieces over a long time.

3. Layers of Soil - Bottom to Top
1. Gravel - tiny stones
2. Sand - large particles
3. Clay - very small particles
4. Humus - dark, made of dead plants/animals

4. Sandy vs Clayey Soil
Sandy: Large particles, water passes quickly, not good for plants
Clayey: Fine particles, holds water, used for pots and toys

5. Uses of Soil
Growing plants, fixing plant roots, home for animals, making pots/toys, giving food to plants.

G. THINK

Q: Sandy soil or Loamy soil for crops?
Ans: Loamy soil because it is fertile, has humus, and is best for growing plants. Sandy soil lets water pass too quickly.

Quick Recap

• Rocks are made of minerals
• Soil has 4 layers: Gravel, Sand, Clay, Humus
• 3 types of soil: Clayey, Sandy, Loamy
• Loamy soil is best for plants