How did soil form on Earth?

Question

Is it a fossil residue, or some kind of volcanic exhaust material? Where did it come from?

Answer 1

weathering of rocks due to wind,flowing water

Answer 2

Well, dust in our homes is mostly dead skin cells that fall off of us, as well as the poop of dust mites that eat the dead skin off of us. Outside has to work mostly the same way. Flora and Fauna, besides losing bits of themselves daily to shedding and parasite consumption, also eliminate waste from their bodies. Ultimately, plants and animals die and decompose, and micro organisms breakdown all this material into smaller and smaller bits, by eating it and pooping it out, just like the dust mites. The Organic matter is mixed with silicate matter (almost microscopic bits of rock and sand) by wind and water (which, along with volcanism and the spewing of ash by valcanos, created the microbits in the first place through erosion), and together, the organic leftovers and tiny tiny bits of rock create a good growing medium for plants, soil.

Answer 3

I would think that when our planet was first formed it was very hot and as the planets surface cooled it formed a crust which over millions of years was eroded by natural elements such as wind and rain and formed a type of soil which was enriched over another long period with decaying primitive plant matter and eventually formed what we now call earth

Answer 4

its a combination of dead plant matter, rock erosion and the land mass is from the sea bed which the water level reveals over time, some soil has pete, clay, limestone and other material which can fossilise things and contribute to the soil.

Answer 5

i thought that this was a simple answer until i thought about it.
soil comes from dead plants, trees etc organics as others have said, but without soil to grow the organic stuff how was it made.... its the chicken and egg question isnt it?

Answer 6

made up from everything, but different things in different places.
Some is very organic broken down plant life - peat.
Or very fine sediment washed in from erosion - clay
depends on type.
That is the simple version, not refering to actual minerals etc,,

Answer 7

As soon as the water levels fell
Soil comes from volcanoes liquid magma when it dries and turns solid, sand comes from mountains when they travel with the wind

Answer 8

all what you said combined with millions of years of dead organic matter , meteors , erosion , corrosion and lots of dinosaur poo

Answer 9

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil

Answer 10

dont know but it smells good