Final answer:
Scientists classify soil based on criteria such as soil profile, climate, soil composition, bedrock, and soil horizon, each contributing to defining soil's properties and capabilities.
Step-by-step explanation:
Scientists consider several criteria when they classify soil. These criteria include soil profile, climate, soil composition, bedrock, and soil horizon. The soil profile is composed of distinct layers known as horizons, such as the O, A, B, and C horizons, each with specific characteristics that play different roles in nutrient cycling, water retention, and support for plant life. The climate influences soil formation by affecting weathering patterns, biological activity, and moisture content.
Soil composition is shaped by the type of parent material and influences the soil's physical and chemical traits. Lastly, the soil horizon refers to the individual layers within the soil, like topsoil (A horizon) and subsoil (B horizon), each distinguished by its properties and composition. The underlying bedrock can become the parent material for soil formation affecting the soil through its mineral content and by providing a base for the development of the soil's upper layers.