GEOGRAPHY TOPICAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Name three components of soil

1/3/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2001 Section B Question 9.

(a) Name three components of soil.

Air/ gases
Water/ moisture
Organic matter minerals
Inorganic matter/ minerals

(b) Explain how the following factors influence the formation of soil
(i) Climate
(ii) Topography

(i) Climate

Rainfall provides water which make it possible for rocks to decay/ disintegrate to form soil
Rainfall can affect the rate at which some soil forming processes can occur e.g leaching
High temperature increase the rate of weathering/ accelerate the rate of bacterial activities which generates some of the organic matter in the soil
Water, ice and winds, erode, transport and deposit soil particle in other area leading to the formation of new soil ( e.g losses)

(ii) Topography

Valley bottoms/ gentle slopes encourage the formation of deep and fertile soils due to deposition accumulation of materials
Steep slopes encourages erosion of the top layer of soil that slowing down formation of soil / have a thin soils
Flat plains/ flood plains are saturated with water therefore slows down forming process
Slow influence arrangement/ sequence of soil
Slopes scopes are more exposed to the sun/ rain which influence weathering of parents rock/ soil forms

(c)(i) State two economic uses of soil

Soils are sources of valuable minerals
Soils are used as raw materials for pottery/ ceramics/ bricks
Soils are used in building/ construction of industry
Soils are used for agriculture
Some soils are mixed with herbs for medicine purposes
Used directly as cattle lick

(a) Name three components of soil (b) Explain how the following factors influence the formation of soil (i) Climate (ii) Topography (c)(i) State two economic uses of soil (ii) Explain four ways in which human activities contribute to soil erosion (d) Describe how the following types of erosion occur (i) Sheet erosion (ii) Gully erosion

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The map below shows the physical regions of Kenya. Use it to answer the questions that follow.

28/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2002 Section B Question 7.

The map below shows the physical regions of Kenya. Use it to answer the questions that follow.

a) i) Name the regions marked. X, Y and Z.

X – Coastal plain / lowlands
Y – Kenya highlands / Central highlands
Z- The lake basin / lake plateau

ii) Give the major economic importance of each of the lakes marked S and T.

S – Fishing
T- Mining

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Reasons why it is necessary for Kenya to conserve her environment and human activities that may be lead to soil erosion

27/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2000 Section A Question 2 with Answers.

(a) State two human activities that may be lead to soil erosion

Devegetation clearing of vegetation/ deforestation
Overgrazing/ overstocking
Fire outbreak
Over cropping / monocropping/ monoculture
Ploughing across the contours/ up-down the slope ( along slope)
Mining/ quarrying
Cultivating along banks

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What is soil?

24/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2000 Section A Question 4 with Answers.

(a) What is soil?

Soil is an accumulation of rock particle, minerals, organic matter, water and air found on the surface of the earth

(b) The diagram below shows a cross – section of a hillside and soil profiles that develop at different parts of the hillside

Match the soil profiles with the corresponding parts of the hillside where each profile is likely to develop

It is the superficial layer of loose unconsolidated rock material overlaying the crust rock and on which plants grow

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Name two types of soil according to texture

23/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2004 Section A Question 1.

a) Name two types of soil according to texture

Loamy Clay Silty Sandy Gravel

b) State two ways in which humus improves the quality of soil

Helps soil to retain moisture
Aerates the soil
It provides essential minerals to the soil
It improves the soil texture/structure

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What is soil catena?

19/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2006 Section B Question 10.

a) (i) What is soil catena?

Soil catena is the sequence of different soils from the same parent rock on a slope

(ii) Draw a labeled diagram to show a well developed soil profile.

(iii) State three characteristics of the soils found in the arid regions of Kenya.

Some soils are light in colour
Some are saline
Mostly are sandy/ stony
Some are loose in texture
Some are thin
Some have low moisture content

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The diagram below represents a well developed soil profile. Use it to answer question (a).

11/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2010 Section B Question 10.

The diagram below represents a well developed soil profile. Use it to answer question (a).

(a) (i) Describe the characteristics of horizon B.

It is the accumulation zone for leached minerals from horizon A
The soil texture is clay in nature — generally soils are dark in colour.
Podzol soils are red/brown in colour.
The zone sometimes forms the hard pan/murram/lateritic duricrust
Is sub-divided into B1 B2 & B3

(ii) Apart from humus, name three other components of soil.

Air/soil air
Water/soil water
Rock particles/weathered materials/mineral particles
Living organisms.

(iii) State three ways in which humus contributes to the quality of soil.

It helps improve soil texture
It provides essential minerals to the soils from the decomposed plant matter/humification and nitrification
It enables soil to retain moisture
It facilitates aeration of the soil
Humus is a source of food for the microorganisms in the soil.

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Define the term soil.

7/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2012 Section B Question 10.

(a)(i) Define the term soil.

Is a naturally occurring thin layer of loose/unconsolidated materials which overlies the crustal rocks and on which plants grow. /It is an accumulation of rock particles/minerals, organic matter, water and air found on the surface of the earth.

(ii) Give two factors that determine soil leaching.

nature of soil/solubility of minerals.
amount of rainfall alternating wet and dry seasons.
nature of the slope,

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Give two types of soil degeneration.

4/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2013 Section A Question 5.

(a) Give two types of soil degeneration.

Physical degeneration.
Chemical degeneration.
Biological degeneration.

(b) State three economic benefits of soils.

They provide the base for crop/forest cultivation.
Some are sources of valuable minerals.
They are raw materials for ceramic/pottery/sculpture industries.
They are used for building houses/roads/bridges.
Organic soils such as peat serve as fuel resource.
Salt licks are livestock feeds.

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Describe podzolization as a process of leaching.

2/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2014 Section A Question 5.

(a) Describe podzolization as a process of leaching.

It occurs in areas with high rainfall and low temperature / cool & wet conditions (cool temperature regions) / humid temperature regions/conferous forest.
Slow decomposition of vegetative matter results in formation of humic acid.
Calcium/ iron/ magnesium / alminium/ pottassium / bases / salts/ carbonates minerals in the soil are dissolved and moved/ translocated from horizon A to horizon B.
The soil is left extremely acidic/ humic / ash grey / brown-grey/ red-yellow / white/ light in colour.

(b) State three ways in which mulching helps in soil conservation.

Plant materials used decompose increasing soil humus.
It protects the soil against erosion.
It helps to increase infiltration rate of water into the soil.
It helps reduce water loss from the soil / retain soil moisture.
It helps to increase soil aeration.

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What is soil conservation?, State three farming methods that assist in soil conservation

31/1/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 1998 Section A Question 5.

(a) What is soil conservation?

(a) It is a careful management/ protection of soil against erosion/ exhaustion

Building Gabions is one way of conserving soil

(b) State three farming methods that assist in soil conservation

Ploughing along the contour
Controlling grazing
strip cropping
Making terraces
Digging cut off drains/ trenches/furrows across the slope
Planting cover crops
Mixed cropping/ intercropping
Agro- forestry
Following field rotation
Crop rotation
Mulching
Adding fertilizer/ manure

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What is soil structure?

29/1/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2017 Section B Question 10.

(a) (i) What is soil structure?

Soil structure is the way the individual soil particles are arranged into aggregate compound particles.

(ii) Explain how the following factors influence soil formation.
. Time
. Parent rock

Time

Where soil formation process takes a short duration, the soils are generally immature/where the process has taken a long period of time, soils are generally well developed mature.

Parent rock

The nature of rock influences the rate of weathering in that soft rocks weather fast, while hard rocks are resistant and weather slowly.
The parent rock determines the soil texture in that, large/course grained rocks produce large/course grained soils/small fine grained rocks produce small fine grained soils..
The type of minerals in the parent rock are transferred to the soil during formation.

(b) Describe the following properties of soil.
. Soil texture
. Soil porosity
. Soil colour

Soil texture

This is the degree of fineness or coarseness of the particles making up the soil.
It is the size of the soil particles.
The texture controls the size and spacing of the soil pores.
This effects the soil water content/the drainage/leaching/soil aeration

Soil Porosity

This is the amount of pore spaces in the soil.
The size of the pore spaces determine the water flowing in the soul sandy soils have high porosity hence allow water to pass through.
Clay soils have few pores hence retain water.

Soil colour

The soil have different colours influenced by parent rock/vegetation leaching processes.
Black/dark brown soils denote a lot of humus.
Grey soils are characteristics of poorly drained/water logged soils.
Whitish soils show high concentration of salts.
Reddish soils have high concentration of iron.

(a) (i) What is soil structure? (ii) Explain how the following factors influence soil formation. . Time . Parent rock (b) Describe the following properties of soil. . Soil texture . Soil porosity . Soil colour (c) State four negative effects of soil erosion. (d) You are planning to carry out a field study on soil around your school. (i) State four preparations that you will make for the study. (ii) Give reasons why it is important to study soils through field study.

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List Five process involved in chemical weathering and ways in which soil creep occurs

26/1/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 1998 Section B Question 7.

(a) (i) What is the difference between weathering and mass wasting

Weathering is the break down/ disintegration and decomposition of rocks in site while weathered materials under the influence of gravity
(Weathering 2 mks)
(Mass wasting 2 mks)

(ii) List Five process involved in chemical weathering

Solution
Oxidation
Hydration
Carbonation
Hydrolysis

(b) Explain five ways in which soil creep occurs

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List three components of soil.

20/1/2021

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KCSE Geography Past Paper 2019 Paper 1 Qn 10.

(a) List three components of soil.

Mineral particles/inorganic matter
Humus /organic matter
Water
Air
Soil organisms

(b) Explain each of the following in relation to the classification of soil:
(i) Zonal
(ii) Intrazonal
(iii) Azonal

(i)Zonal

These are mature soils that have undergone long time formation/have a well developed soil profile

ii) Intrazonal

These are soils that are formed under poor

(iii) drainage conditions/waterlogged areas.
(iii) Azonal

These are young soils that have not been affected by soil forming processes/they do not have a well developed soil profile/they are immature and skeletal.

(c) Explain three causes of soil degeneration.

Poor agricultural practices such as burning of land/over cultivation/monoculture/over cropping cause soil to be deficient ¡n some mineral nutrients leading to loss of soil fertility.
Excessive/wrong application of fertilizer may affect the soil pH making it too acidic interfering with soil micro-organisms.
Leaching due heavy rainfall can lead to percolation of soil nutrients to the lower horizons leading to deficiency of the top soil.
Excessive drought leads to accumulation of salts in the top soil making it saline.
Soil erosion interferes with soil structure leading to loss of top fertile soil.
Other human activities such as of roads interfere with soil Structure leading soil degeneration

(d) Students from Mwema School visited a nearby ranch to study types of soil.
(i) Explain why they carried the following tools:
I. Hoes
II. Polythene bags
(ii) Give three reasons why they would need to seek permission from relevant authorities.
(iii) List three types of soil erosion they are likely to observe.

(i) Explain why they carried the following tools.
Hoes

To enable them dig up the soil samples;

Polythene bags

To help them carry soil samples

(ii) Give three reasons why they would need to seek permission from relevant authorities

To be permitted to enter the ranch.
To enable the ranch administration to organize for a guide to take them around
To be allowed by the Principal to be away from the school
To alert other teachers that their learners will be away that day.

(iii) List three types of erosion they are likely to observe.

Splash erosion
Gulley erosion
Sheet erosion
Rill erosion.

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Four characteristics of desert soil

16/1/2021

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KCSE Geography Past Paper 1996 Paper 1 Qn 4.

i) Four characteristics of desert soil

They are thin/shallow
They are stony/sandy
They are saline
They are loose in texture
They are rich in calcium
Low moisture content (4 x 1=4 marks)

Sand Dune

ii) Two factors that contribute to soil leaching (2mks)

Nature of the soil
Solubility of the minerals
Topography

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