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Glite Dictionary
C-horizon

C-horizon

9.6
A soil layer under the B-horizon and above bedrock made mostly of broken rock with few plant roots
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : horizonte C
  • The C-horizon contains partially disintegrated rock and marks the transition to unweathered bedrock.

Examples

  • Scientists collected samples from the C-horizon to analyze its mineral composition.

  • Unlike the upper layers, the C-horizon plays little role in supporting plant growth.

  • The C-horizon is crucial for understanding soil composition.

  • What is found in the C-horizon?

  • Scientists collected samples from the C-horizon to analyze its mineral composition.

  • The C-horizon contains partially disintegrated rock and marks the transition to unweathered bedrock.

  • Unlike the upper layers, the C-horizon plays little role in supporting plant growth.

Surface Forms

C-horizon singular
C-horizons plural

Morphology

C-horizon = horizon (semi-transparent) = C- + horizon

The relation to 'horizon' is clear, but the letter label 'C-' is a domain-specific code for soil layers and its exact positional meaning requires specialist knowledge.

Etymology

The word C-horizon starts with the letter C, meaning the third layer after A and B, and uses horizon, which means 'boundary' or 'line'. So the C-horizon is the lower soil layer of partly broken or weathered rock that shows the change to solid bedrock.