Q37.1-4CC - Campbell Biology

Question

Note three ways the properties of water contribute to soil formation.

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

The water properties contributing to soil formation are expansion upon freezing, property of cohesion, and polarity.

Step 1: Water

The clear liquid, a tiny molecule that comprises two distinct atoms, such as hydrogen and oxygen, present in abundance with the chemical formula of H2O, is called water.

The several benefits of water are body temperature regulation, liquid transport medium, habitat of various species, and transportation of nutrients. Examples of water sources include rain, pond, reservoir, handpump, stream, well, and tap water.

Step 2: Soil

The inconstant top earth’s crust layer that acts as a dynamic ecosystem comprising living things, organic matters, and mineral particles and is used to nourish plants is called soil.

Examples of different soil types include organic, clay, and sandy soil.

Various physical properties related to the soil are surface area, soil consistency, soil color, soil texture, and soil structure.

Step 3: Contribution of water properties to soil formation

Rock fracturing (mechanically breaking of rock or geologic formation) contributes to soil formation. This fracturing results from expansion upon freezing of water molecules consisting of hydrogen bonding in their structure.

The cohesion property of water combines with the gravitational force to pull soil particles from the rock. The water polarity helps in ionic dissociation, resulting in the separation of ions to become dissolved in the solution.