Soil Profile free essay sample

Soil forms the surface layer of the earths crust. The development of soil is a constructive process in where disintegrated material resulted from weathering of rocks and minerals get converted into the soil body. Soil profile is the vertical section of soil showing the various layers from the surface to the unaffected parent material. The soil contains three main layers. The surface soil or that layer of soil at the top which is liable to leaching and from which some soil constituents have been removed is known as horizon A or the horizon of eluviation. The intermediate layer in which the materials leached from horizon A have been re-deposited is known as horizon B or the horizon of illuviation. The parent material from which the soil is formed is known as horizon C. The different soil horizons differed due to the colour change form one part to another. Soil Profile | Diagram of the true soil profile Results From the field study practical, on the 20th September 2012, four different soil samples were looked at. We will write a custom essay sample on Soil Profile or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Each soil sample had a bit of difference from each other. Inserted is a map that shows the location where each soil sample was taken from. Soil Profile of soil sample A- it contained a topsoil depth of 6cm and a subsoil depth of 18cm giving a total depth of 24cm. the depth showed sign of rock particles. The soil in that area was loosed. It had no moisture due to the direct impact of the sun on it. Although being directly in the sun there was colour changes in the soil. The topsoil had a dark golden brown colour while the subsoil had a golden brown colour. Soil type was considered to be clay. The location had a lot to do with its contents since it was close to construction site, the soil contain concrete sediments. Soil sample B had a topsoil depth of 16cm and a subsoil depth of 6cm giving a total depth of 22cm. Man mainly influenced the soil sample profile. Profile was near a construction site, so it contained materials that were transported and deposited there. Consist of big rocks (stones), which made it difficult for the profile to be dug into. Soil Sample C had only one distinct layer when compared to the real soil profile. The depth was 20 cm. The sample was located on a slope. Due to its slope like location, the soil was dry. The sloped caused all water to drain out. This soil sample was near a construction site. Filled with transported materials such as sand sediments and underlying rocks. The soil was loose and lacked moisture. Soil Sample D only showed one profile. It had a depth of 45cm. The soil was covered with sediments. Its showed that the soil was place there and compressed. There was underlying rocks and animal life found in the soil sample. The soil was compacted and had a lot of moisture due to its nearness to water (river). It had a very distinct brown colour also.