Besides soil and rocks, what else do you own when acquiring land?

When acquiring land, ownership typically extends beyond just the soil and rocks. It also includes the air space above the land and the space beneath it, which are essential components of property rights. This principle is rooted in the doctrine of "subsurface rights" and "air rights," both of which play significant roles in real estate ownership.

The air space above the land allows the owner to control what can be built or developed overhead, while the space beneath the property includes rights to natural resources such as minerals or groundwater. Ownership of land thus encompasses a three-dimensional space, reinforcing the idea that property is not merely a surface plot but a volume of space with further rights extending into the atmosphere and partially into the earth.

In contrast, owning only the soil would severely limit property rights and wouldn't accommodate the common understanding of land ownership in real estate. The notions of controlling air space and subsurface resources are foundational to property rights and significantly impact how land can be utilized or developed.