Question

The mineral particles found in the layers of a soil, including the topsoil and subsoil layers, were originally weathered from

Answer 1

Parent rocks

Step-by-step explanation:

The minerals are the essential elements present in the soil that increases its productivity. The minerals include iron, calcium, potassium, sulfur, magnesium and many more. They are also comprised of humus that is formed from the decayed organisms. These minerals are typically formed from the weathering of the parent rock materials. The parent rocks undergo the physical, chemical and biological type of weathering as a result of which the rocks break down and form these smaller particles, that eventually give rise to the formation of various minerals.

In a soil profile, the parent rocks are present at the bottom and the much finer soil particles comprised of different minerals are present at the top, forming the topsoil and the subsoil in a vertical order.

Answer 2

The answer is the parent material. Parent material is what occurs on the surface before soil begins to form. This is found in new environments such as after a volcanic activity. Pioneers organisms of an ecosystem and abiotic elements of weathering such as water and temperatures begin to weather the rocks into smaller particles, Humus and organic matter from life accumulate with the minute rock particles to form soil over time. The topmost soil is the most developed and this is why soil has profiles towards the deep into the parent rock material, depending on the stage of weathering.