Chapter 5 Soil Resources

A. Multiple Choice Questions.

1. Black soils are rich in
(a) Magnesium Carbonates (b) Phosphates (c) Nitrogen (d) Organic matter
2. The red soils are formed due to
(a) Weathering of ancient crystalline rocks (b) Disintegration of sedimentary
rocks (c) Deposition by the rivers (d) Transport by the rivers
3. Red soils are rich in
(a) Potash (b) Lime (c) Nitrogen (d) Phosphate
4. An area in India where Gully erosion takes place
(a) Narmada valley (b) Chambal ravines (c) Ganga river (d) Damodar river
5. Black soils are found in
(a) Haryana (b) Maharashtra (c) Meghalaya (d) Uttar Pradesh
6. The soil with the unique property of being building material
(a) Red soil (b) Alluvial soil (c) Laterite soil (d) Black soil
7. The laterite soils are found in
(a) The summits of Western ghats (b) Deccan Plateau (c) Indo-Gangetic plains
(d) Coastal plains
8. The soil formed due to deposition by rivers
(a) Red soil (b) Black soil (c) Alluvial soil (d) Laterite soil
9. The soil that promotes leaching
(a) Red soil (b) Black soil (c) Alluvial soil (d) Laterite soil
10. The soils formed in situ
(a) Red soil (b) Black soil (c) Alluvial soil (d) Laterite soil
ANSWERS 1. (a) 2. (a) 3. (a) 4. (b) 5. (b) 6. (c) 7. (a) 8. (c) 9. (d) 10. (a)/(b)/(d)
B. Answer the following questions.
1. How are soils formed?
Ans. Soils are formed under specific natural conditions.
Its formation is related to the parent rock material.
It is formed by denudation and disintegration of rocks.
The process of soil formation is called Pedogenesis.
2. Name the factors responsible for soil formation.
Ans. Its formation/factors are –
(a) Parent material
(b) Climatic conditions
(c) Relief
(d) Vegetation
(e) Drainage
(f) Animals, insects and man are also factors responsible for the formation of
soil
3. Name the main components of soil.
Ans. Main components of soil – mixture of inorganic materials (silica, clay,
chalk), minerals and organic material (humus).
4. Name the major soils of India.
Ans. Major soil of India – (a) Alluvial soils (b) Black soils (c) Red soils and (d)
Laterite soils
5. Why are alluvial soils very fertile?
Ans. Alluvial soils are rich in humus.
6. How are black soils formed?
Ans. They are formed as a result of weathering and denudation of lava flow
rocks/have originated from the solidification of basic lava spread over vast
areas of Deccan Plateau during volcanic activity.
7. Does black soil undergo leaching?
Ans. No, because these areas are not subjected to heavy rain/non-porous and
rain cannot wash out the silicates.
8. Give the other names for black soil. Name two characteristic features of
black soil.
Ans. Lava soil/Regur soil / Residual/insitu
(i) It is fine textured and clayey.
(ii) (ii) It has high amount of lime, iron, phosphorous, etc.
9. Why are red soils not suitable for agriculture?
Ans. Red soil is not suitable for agriculture because they lack humus,
magnesium, lime, phosphate and nitrogen.
10. What is leaching? Give an example of a leached soil.
Ans. Leaching is a process by which the mineral nutrients in the soil are
washed away by heavy rainfall, thereby making the top soil infertile.
Example – Laterite soil.
11. What type of soil is widely distributed over the Ganga basin?
Ans. Alluvial soil.
12. Which is the most widely transported soil?
Ans. Alluvial soil.
13. Which soil is found suitable for growing coffee in India?
Ans. Laterite soil.
14. Name the soil found on the summits of Eastern Ghats.
Ans. Laterite soil.
15. Name one important characteristic of mountain soil.
Ans. Mountain soil is loamy and silty in valley sides and coarse grained in
the upper slopes.
16. What are the properties of desert soils?
Ans. Their colour varies from red to brown.
They are generally sandy in texture and saline in nature
17. How are laterite soils formed?
Ans. Laterite soils are formed under the conditions of high temperature and
heavy rainfall with alternate wet and dry periods. Its formation takes place
strictly under monsoon conditions.
18. Why does laterite soil undergo leaching?
Ans. Laterite soil is found in areas which experience, heavy rainfall with
alternate wet and dry periods and it is a typical soil found in monsoon type
of climatic region.
19. What is soil erosion? Name the different types of soil erosion.
Ans. Soil erosion is the removal of top soil by different agents of
weathering.
Types of soil erosion – (i) Splash erosion (ii) Gully erosion/Rill Erosion (iii)
Sheet erosion
20. What is soil conservation? State two ways in which one can reduce soil
erosion.
Ans. Soil conservation is an effort made by man to prevent soil erosion.
Soil erosion can be prevented by afforestation, checking overgrazing, and
by constructing small dams.
21. Explain the following terms:
Ans. Top soil – it is the uppermost layer of the soil consisting of humus,
thereby making it very fertile.
In situ – formed where they are found.
Bhangar – they are the old alluvial soils found usually higher up in the
Northern Plains, they are not very fertile.
Khadar – are the new alluvial soils, found at the low levels near the river,
are very fertile since they are replenished by floods every year.
Humus – it is the organic material, dark in colour, formed by the
decomposition of plant remains and animal waste. The more humus, darker
is the soil and more fertile is the soil.
23. Give geographical reasons –
(a) Red soil is not suitable for cultivation.
(a) It lacks humus and is acidic in nature.
(b) Laterite soils are used as building material.
(b) They harden like iron when exposed to air and are durable so they
provide valuable building material.
(c) Black soils are black in colour.
(c) Due to black crystalline schists and basic gneisses, also due to the fact
that they are formed due to the solidification of lava during volcanic
activity.
(d) Alluvial soils of Deccan coastal region are black in colour.
(d) Due to the fact that it is non porous, clayey, and the Deccan rivers
flowing in the black soil region carry it to the deltas.
24. Answer in one word –
(a) Soils formed due to weathering of Deccan trap.
(a) Black soil
(b) Alluvial soils of coastal region are called
(b) Coastal alluvium
(c) In some valleys like Narmada and Tapi, the soil is ______________ deep.
(c) 6 m
Study the text book matter thoroughly and soil groups table given on page
150.
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