Introduction:
- · The term soil is derived from Latin word “Solum” means ‘Floor’ or ‘Ground’.
- Soil is the interphase between atmosphere and the mantle of rocks making up the earth’s crust called “lithosphere”.
- Regolith: All loose material above bedrock (the unconsolidated material of weathered rock and soil material).
- · Soil Survey: Systematic examination, description and classification of soils.
- · Pedology: Science dealing with genesis, survey, classification and laws of geographic distribution of soils as a body in nature.
- · Edaphology: It is the study of soils from stand point of higher plants.
Rocks:
· “Rocks” are defined as the aggregates of one (or) more minerals. Eg: Limestone – aggregation of calcite mineral.
· Rocks have no definite chemical, morphological composition or definite symmetrical form like minerals.
· Based on origin, rocks are classified as
1. Igneous rocks
2. Sedimentory rocks
3. Metamorphic rocks.
