Soil is formed over thousands of years as rocks break down from heat, rain, and wind. Dead plants and animals get mixed in as well. It takes a long time to form even a small amount of soil. Soil provides a medium for plants to grow, taking in water and nutrients through their roots. It contains layers of materials like stones, sand, clay, and humus formed from dead organic matter. Soil is essential for growing crops to support life.

1. By Aniruddh Kommajosyula
III C
Delhi Public School, Nerul

2. Soil is the top layer of the earth where plants
grow.
Plants stay fixed to the with the help of their
roots.
Soil also provides water and nutrients to the
plant.

3.  Once upon a time there were huge rocks on
the earth.
 Over time, these rocks started breaking
because of the heat of the sun, rain, and wind.
 Dead plants and animals got mixed with the
rock pieces.
 The breaking of rocks continued for many
years, till rocks could not break further.
 Finally, a layer of soil was formed.

4.  Thus, soil is formed by the breaking down
of the rocks.
 It takes thousands of years to form a small
amount of soil.
 The colour of the soil differs from place to
place.
 Soil may be light brown in one place and
dark brown in another.
 in India, red soil and black soil are also
found.

5.  When garden soil is mixed with water in a jar and
left undisturbed for some time, the soil settles down
into different layers.
 The layer at the bottom consists of tiny stones.
 Above it, there is a layer of fine sand.
 Above the layer of sand, there is clay.
 Then there is a layer of muddy water.
 The remains of dead plants and animals floating on
water are called humus. Humus helps to hold water
and provide nutrients in the soil. Thus, humus
makes the soil fertile.

7.  When some garden soil is heated in a
container covered with a lid, drops of water
are noticed on the inside of the lid. This
shows that soil contains water.
 The water in the soil forms vapour when
heated. The vapour touches the lid and cools
down to form droplets of water. The water
trapped in the soil is called moisture.

9.  When water is poured over soil kept in a jar,
air bubbles start forming.
 This shows that soil contains air, trapped
between its particles.
 When water is poured,
this air escapes in the
form of bubbles.
Air Bubbles

10.  Remains: Small parts of dead plants and animals.
 Nutrients: Materials that make the soil healthy and
are needed by the plants.
 Fertile: Soil is said to be fertile when plants grow well
in it.
 Manure: Animal wastes that are mixed with soil to
help plants grow well.
 Humus: Small parts of dead plants and animals
present in the soil is called humus
 Fact File:
 Earthworms are called ‘farmers’ friends’.
Earthworms dig tunnels in the soil and live in them. While
doing this, they turn and loosen the soil.

11.  Some uses of soil are as follows:
 Plants need soil to grow. They take in water
and nutrients from the soil. Farmers grow
crops in the soil. They make the soil fertile by
adding manure.
 Crops grow well in fertile soil. Without soil,
plants would have no place to grow. If there
were no plants, we would have nothing to eat.
 Soil is home to many animals. Earthworms,
beetles, ants and snails are some animals
that live in soil.