Is compost dirt??

Let's make dirt. Or is it dirt? I don't know, well, can you dig it? We've all heard of compost, maybe you compost, maybe your friend does, maybe they talk about it a lot. But how does it work? Why can we compost some things, but not others? And why can't we just put compostable stuff into the trash can, won't it break down in the landfill? Let's find out!!