Name Kylan Hill

Dig It! Exhibition

Follow the directions to navigate your way through the online exhibition of
Dig It! put together by the mithsonian! The bold text mean you need
to answer a question or write something down.
"o to this web site# http#$$forces!si!edu$soils$%&'%%'%%!html
(ead the introduction titled i)ing *p oils
+lic, on -he .ig /icture and ta,e the 0ui)1 if you miss a 2uestion clic, on
the 3earn 4ore and learn about the topic!
What is one interesting fact about soil that you learned from the
quiz?
That the Amazon Rainforest gets its hoshorous from the !ahara
"esert by articles of soil being carried by the wind.
+lic, on tate oil 4onoliths clic, on -exas then choose & other states and
read about their soil! What is a #un #act about Texas soil?
The Houston $lac% soil is a tye of !hrin%&!well soil because of its
clay articles that shrin% when dry and swell when wet.
What is in the soil of one other state? Tell me the name of the state.
'tah ( )i*ida soils form from wind&deosited sand eroded from +.,
million year old dunes.
What is so secial about the soil of one other state? Tell me the
name of the state- it needs to be di.erent from Texas- and the state
in the question abo*e.
/orth 0arolina ( contains 0ecil soil- which has lower layers called
1rotten roc%2 which has weathered from the 1arent2 roc% below.
+lic, on 5hat is oil read through all 6 pages and answer these 2uestions!
A teasoon of good farm soil contains u to 3ne $illion bacteria in
more than 4555 secies.
!oil is the !%in of the earth. !oils are Ali*e- they are born- they age-
they breathe.
What are the ingredients of soil?
7n page 8 watch the +hef9s +hallenge video!
!and- Water- "ecomosed lants-
What is the today6s secret ingredient?
!and
Who are the 7udges?
!yl*ania 8Hermit Thrush9- :uincy 0araace 8Turtle9- ;assy ;allagher
8)ethane <roducer9
7n page : clic, on the (ecipe .oo, read some of the di;erent soil recipes!
-hen clic, on the oil ingredients ta,e the 2ui) to see if you can determine
the ma,eup of di;erent types of soils!
What = of ingredients ma%e u "esert !oil?
>?= )inerals- 44= Air- @= water- += organic matter
Aoamy !oil?
4>= )inerals- @>= Air- @>= water- >= organic matter
<eaty $og?
>5= Water- 45= 3rganic )atter- +5= )inerals
(ead page 6! What does 0A3R<T stand for?
0Aimate
3rganisms
Relief
<arent material
Time
+lic, on +hip o; the 7ld .loc, read through all < pages!
B>= of the earth6s crust is made of 7ust eight elements. What are
they?
oxygen- silicon- aluminum- iron- calcium- sodium- otassium- and
magnesium.
Texture inCuences a soil6s caacity to Hold water and nutrients.
7n page < play the +olor 4atching game!
;ray.$lue.;reen D Wetland )ineral !oils
Red.Eellow.3range D 'land !oils
+lic, on oil Forming Factors read through all < pages! 7n page & play the
=idden =ori)ons game!
"escribe the A horizon.
A mineral layer near the surface containing more organic matter
than layers below.
What is a monolith?
A *ertical slice from tosoil down to subsoil
7n page : clic, on the Earth ,in -ypes! "escribe 'ltisols.
'ltisols are red&clay soils that suorts forests and sa*annahs. They
are not naturally fertile.
What tye of soil is in our area?
'ltisols
7n page < clic, play the 5here in the oil 5orld are >ou!
The Ci Co is in the !outh aciFc *olcano soil tye.
The sur is in the !outh American ;rassland soil tye.
The mammoth tus% is in the !iberian <ermafrost soil tye.
+lic, on 4atters of 3ife and Death1 read through all < pages!
/ot all forms of life need oxygen to breathe. What other things can
microorganisms use?
Glectrons combined with nitrogen- sulfur- and other elements
"escribe some of the characteristics of Aichens.
Aichens are a mutually beneFcial combination between fungi and
algae. These guys build soil in barren en*ironments.
+lic, on *nderneath it ?ll1 read through all 6 pages! 7n page @ clic, on the
*nderneath it ?ll lin, to dig deep and examine the e;ects our choices have
on soil!
What are some of the things that you may Fnd in the Washington-
".0. soil samle?
Hn the tidal basin- you can Fnd transorted soil- meant to increase
drainage- and soil made from the dredges of a ast ri*er.
Hn the land Fll- you can Fnd burnt garbage and construction rubble.
What are some of the things that you may Fnd in the Terra <reta
!oil of the Amazon?
$ro%en ottery
7n page 8! What is an increasing roblem caused by global
warming?
)elting <ermafrost causing the ground to collase
7n page :! What was wrong with the soil in #rederic%sburg- Iirginia?
The acidic sulfate soils underground were exosed due to
landscaing. The sulFde minerals reacted with the oxygen and
created sulfuric acid and dissol*ed iron.
+lic, on 5ise +hoices read through all A pages!
!oils are renewable butJ
Ht ta%es a lot of time- money- and %now&how.
"escribe some of the new technology that hels manage soil
fertility.
!ensors on tractors or satellites can determine how much fertilizer a
lant- or soil needs. ;enetic techniques let scientists study soil food
webs that are essential to soil fertility.
How is the )illennium Iillages <ro7ect restoring soil fertility?
Hn ,5 *illages across +5 countries- farmers recei*ed mineral
fertilizers and high&yield hybrid cros. They learned to add manure
and comost- or to lant legume co*er cros and trees that enrich
the soil with nitrogen.
+lic, on ? 5orld of oils1 read through all < pages! 7n page @ watch the
oil# -he secret Ingredient video!
7n page 8! "eFne loessK
Wind&blown deosits of silt left by the last glaciers
-he secrets of soils are the secrets of our lives!