Page 32 - SST Class 04

Unit II : Natural Resources

8 India : Soils

Soil and I

When you are out in the playground, just
bow down and pick up a handful of earth.
What you have picked up is called soil. It is
very important for us because plants grow
in it. Without it, food cannot be grown and
the open ground cannot be made smooth.

Soil is the loose material on the earth’s surface. It is
formed by broken rocks. Dead plants and animals’
waste get mixed into it. It takes thousands of years to
form. Wind water and temperature play a role in its
,
formation. These natural forces break large rocks into
boulders, boulders into pebbles, and pebbles into sand
and silt. Water and wind break rocks and carry them to

different places. The fertility and thickness of soil
varies from place to place. A river bank
Soil is a very important natural resource. All living beings, including you and me,
depend on it directly or indirectly. Its fertility depends on its different types.

Types of Soils

Soil is mainly formed by rock. Due to wind, water and temperature, rock is broken into
small pieces or grains. This soil is mixed with dead plants, fallen leaves, dead animals
and animals’ waste.

There are different types of rocks, so there are different types of soils. Different soils
are good for different crops. India has different types of soils in different regions, so
different crops are grown there. There are five major types of soils in our country :

32 Contemporary Social Science-4