A man digging a pit found that he could dig with ease initially but digging became difficult as he went deeper. He could not dig beyond a depth of 5 feet. Provide a suitable scientific explanation.
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Solution
Soil:
It is easier to dig soil at first as the top layer of soil only consists of the topsoil and subsoil.
The topsoil consists of loose soil particles and thus is easy to dig.
The soil can be divided into different layers.
The A-horizon is the uppermost layer and is rich in humus and minerals.
It is soft and pure and retains a high amount of water.
B-horizon is the second layer of soil that contains little humus and is rich in minerals.
It serves as a water reservoir.
The C-horizon is the third layer of soil and consists of small pieces of rocks that are broken down as a result of weathering.
The bottom layer of the soil is the bedrock and consists of unweathered solid rock.
As the deeper layers contain partially weathered rocks, it is hard to dig deeper, and digging becomes difficult.
