Soil Analysis Lab Intro

Introduction

          Soil is made up of four main components.  Soil is 45% rock particles, 25% water, 25% air, and 5% leaves.  The major difference between soil and dirt is that soil is alive, and dirt is dead.  Soil is formed from five important factors.  Soil is formed from parent material, climate, living organisms, topography, and time.  The major factors that are examined in soil texture include geological factors, soil color, texture, and structure.  Soil color can be an indicator of the past environmental conditions that the soil has experienced.  Soil structure can tell you how healthy soil is, and the pH of soil can tell you the sweetness or sourness of the soil.  The soil in our area is very rich and fertile.
          There are several similarities and differences between the soil in our area and the soil in Hawaii, Georgia, and Arizona.  Soil from every part of our country experiences different changes in climate, and can adapt to different conditions.  The soil in Hawaii is different from the soil in our area because the soil in Hawaii is more diverse.  The soil in Hawaii varies in different islands, and is dry in coastal lowlands.  The soil in Georgia is red, and is dryer due to the humid climate.  The soil in Arizona is very dry because the soil is located in deserts.  All types of soil in these regions are composed of the same elements.  The soil in Hawaii, Georgia, and Arizona is dryer than the soil in our area.
           Farmers or anyone interested in growing plants should be interested in soil analysis for various reasons.  Soil analysis provides a great deal of benefits for anybody who I interested in planting.  Two social reasons why soil analysis is beneficial is that people who plant know more information about soil, and they can help other people who plant.  Two economic benefits for being knowledgable on soil analysis is being able to grow more plants or crops, and making more profit if you are a farmer.  Knowing about soil analysis not only helps you as a soil scientist, but it also helps the environment.