Question

Which one of the following is a factor of soil formation?
(A) Time
(B) Soil texture
(C) Organic matter
(D) Nitrogen content

Answer 1

Hint: Since soil is the most valuable natural medium for the growth of plants, it is one of the most important components of an ecosystem's sustainability. It is a black or dark brown substance made up of organic remains, mud, and rock particles that makes up the upper layer of the soil on which plants rise. For the above question we shall look into all the factors of soil formation and then we will check which among them is available in the options.

Complete answer:
The main factors responsible for the formation of soil are relief features, parent material, atmosphere, vegetation, and other life-forms, as well as time away from human activities.
1. Parent Material: This material is deposited by streams or weathered in place. Many properties, such as mineral composition, colour, particle size, and chemical elements, are inherited by soil at this time. Black earth, for example, gets its colour from lava rock.
2. Climate: It influences the rate of weathering of the parent rock, making it one of the most significant factors in the production of soil.
3. Role of Precipitation: Precipitation variability affects the soil's composition. For example, salts accumulated in the soil in areas with little rainfall and a high rate of evaporation. Because of extensive leaching caused by heavy rainfall, the soils under tropical rain forests are nutrient-depleted.
4. Temperature: It plays an important role in soil weathering because temperature variations affect shrinking and swelling, frost action, and general weathering.
5. Time: The deposition of soil is a multi-year process rather than a one-day event. Younger soils retain some of their parent material's characteristics, but as they age, organic matter, moisture exposure, and other environmental factors can alter their characteristics.

Hence, the correct answer is option (A) Time.

Note: Since the soil profile of any area around the world is based on temperature, parent material, topography, and time, it's worth noting that the above influences are different but interdependent.