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SOIL
Component definition: Mixture of mineral matter, organic matter, water, and air.
Water 25%
Organic Matter 5%
Soil Texture
The way a soil feels Particle size distribution the relative proportions of each size of soil particle
A clay soil is referred to as a finefinetextured soil (Heavy soil = difficult to till) whereas a sandy soil is a coarse textured soil (light soil = easy to till ).
Importance of Soil Texture Numerous soil properties are influenced by texture including: Drainage Water holding capacity Aeration Susceptibility to erosion Organic matter content Cation exchange capacity (CEC) pH buffering capacity Soil tilth
irrigation systems ( sandy soil=trickle or drip irrigation & sprinkler irrigation , whereas clay soil = flood irrigation suitable crops depend on soil texture (potatoes & groundnuts suitable for sandy soil Distance between drainage pipe slide sloping of irrigation canal and drain ( clay soil =1:1 or more , whereas sand soil = 2:1 or more)
Soil Particles
Sand
Largest of the soil particles Feel gritty
Silt
Medium sized Feel soft, silky, or floury
Clay
Smallest particles Feel sticky
Table (
Soil Separate
Sand Separate Very Coarse sand Coarse sand Medium sand Fine sand Very fine sand
Terms used for various sizes, shapes, and compositions of soil course fragments.
Properties of soil separate that affect soil properties: Sand is the largest textural class; Sandy soils: the soil contains 85 % or more sand and less than 15% of both silt and clay. 15% Sandy soils are dominated by the properties of sand: weak structure rapid infiltration rate, slight erosion potential, loose consistence,
Sand has no charge low fertility, Good aeration and drainage, low water retention, little surface areas leads to limited chemical activities. low elasticity
Silts are highly eroding able, relatively infertile soils. The silty soils contain 80 to 100 percent silt, 0 to 20 percent sand, and 12 percent or less clay. They can be molded into a ball that keeps its shape under gentle pressure. The low percentage of clay precludes the formation of a ribbon.
The coarser silt particles are similar to the finer sands in surface exposed and hence take very little part in the chemical activities of soil. The finer silt has sufficient surface to give it some slight chemical activity.
Clayey soils have: highly water & nutrient retention, slow infiltration rate, poor drain, very sticky and plasticity when wet,
form hard clods when dry , active chemical properties large surface areas. Negatively charge
The clay separates is composed of the smallest particles. This means that the amount of the surface in a gram of clay is much more it in silt or sand. Since a large part of the water in the soil is held as a film on the surface. Since a large part of the water in the soil is held as a file on the surface of the clay particles,
the amount of clay in the soil has a great influence on its total water-holding watercapacity. In addition, certain available nutrients are held on the surface of clay particles. Therefore, clay acts as a storage reservoir for the both water and nutrients. Clay may have thousands of times more surface area per gram than silt or sand.
The term loam refers to soils having a moderate amount of sand, silt, and clay. clay. Thus, loamy soils have textural properties intermediate to the
Importance of studying soil texture: Pores size: which affect air and water holding capacity permeability (water conductivity). conductivity). Heat conductivity Drainage conditions air exchange (between soil air and outer air). air).
Specific surface area: Which affects, soil water holding capacity, water & basic saturation percent, soil exchange capacity, nutrient retention, and so on.
Mechanical properties of the soil: Such as consistency (which control wind and water erosion), swelling and shrinkage tillage operation.
Surface area: Surface area expressed the total surface area per unit weight or volume of the soil. (Square cm per gram or square meter in Kg). Surface area is important in its relation to plant growth since most of the available nutrients and water are adsorbed on the surface of soil particles.
Consistence: Defined as the resistance of soil to deformation or rupture. Forces causing consistence: Molecular attraction (Cohesion): Between similar substances, i.e.: between soil separates. Surface tension (Adhesion): Between soil particle and soil solution (between different substances).
There
are
several
techniques
available, the most common being the pipette and hydrometer methods Most methods of mechanical analysis are based on the principle that larger particles will fall more rapidly through a liquid than smaller particles. particles.
Stoke's Law is the mathematical expression of the principle used in mechanical analysis.
@v = 2/9 g r2 (V s - V L) / L
Where: V = settling velocity (cm/s) g = acceleration due to gravity (cm/s2) r = particle radius (cm) Vs = particle density (g/cm3) VL = liquid density (g/cm3) L = liquid viscosity (g/cm s)
Percolation. internal drainage and leaching. Excessive Very low Very good low Easy High low low low low low High