Physical Properties of Soil

Roll it into a ball

Drainage of excess water, air movement, root growth, water retention

Cementation

Formation of negative charges on soil colloids, cations attachment, absorption, linking by polarized water

Amount of soil pores and their content of air or water

Less oxygen, more carbon

Avoid poaching, add farmyard manure, add lime

Large pores in sandy soil

Small pores in clay soil

gravel, coarse sand, fine sand, silt, clay

humus

texture, structure, porosity, chemistry, and colour

by the amount of sand, silt, and clay present

a soil with equal amounts of sand, silt, and clay

by calculating the percentage of sand, silt, and clay

Micro-pore

when silt, sand, and clay are held together by colloidal particles

by taking a handful of dry soil and adding water to it

Humus is the breakdown of dead plants and animals in soil when it decomposes.

The soil triangle is used to calculate the percentage of sand, silt, and clay in a soil sample, which helps determine the soil texture.

Flocculation is when silt, sand, and clay are held together by colloidal particles, forming aggregates.

Micro-pores are the pore spaces within aggregates that affect drainage and aeration in the soil.

The amount of sand, silt, and clay determines the soil texture, which in turn influences the drainage capacity of the soil.

Mineral matter comes from parent rock material and is broken down into different-sized particles like gravel, sand, silt, and clay.

The main properties of soil are structure, porosity, chemistry, and color, in addition to texture.

Adding water to dry soil and observing how it behaves can give insights into the soil's texture based on how it clumps together or disintegrates.

Loam soil contains equal amounts of sand, silt, and clay, making it a balanced soil type.

Good soil structure is necessary for drainage, air movement, root growth, and water retention.

Cementation is the binding of soil particles, which helps in creating stable aggregates.

Flocculation occurs when soil colloids are linked together by polarized water.

Soil porosity determines the amount of air and water available to plant roots.

Soil aeration can be enhanced by avoiding land poaching, adding farmyard manure, and lime. It is vital for root respiration and microbial activity.

Soil with large pores drains excess water, while small pores retain water needed for plant growth.

Dark soil indicates more sunlight exposure and likely high humus content, while red soil may suggest leaching.

Sandy soil with large pores causes rapid drainage, leading to drought conditions during good weather.

Earthworms and roots absorb oxygen and release carbon, affecting the oxygen-to-carbon ratio in soil air.