Soil Physical Properties PDF
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Uploaded by FruitfulMorningGlory
Visayas State University
Mark Anthony M. Barbadillo, MSc
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Summary
This document covers the physical properties of soil, such as color, texture, structure, and density. It also looks at the retention and the movement of water in a soil. The presentation is likely from a university soil science course.
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Soil Physical Properties Mark Anthony M. Barbadillo, MSc Department of Soil Science Visayas State University Soil Physical Properties Reflect the composition, size and arrangement of the solid particles. Most commonly...
Soil Physical Properties Mark Anthony M. Barbadillo, MSc Department of Soil Science Visayas State University Soil Physical Properties Reflect the composition, size and arrangement of the solid particles. Most commonly measured are: soil color, texture, structure, density, porosity, consistency and water holding capacity. Types of Soil Physical Properties 1. Static soil physical properties Properties that do not change on short time scales under natural conditions or without significant applied force. 2. Dynamic soil physical properties Properties that are readily changed on short time scales under natural conditions or with relatively minor amounts of force. I. Soil Color It is the most prominent and easily determined soil physical property. It has a little direct effect on the soil but is an indicator of some soil properties. There are many things we can tell about the soil by observing the color. Such as: Organic matter and iron oxide content Soil temperature Parent material Soil Drainage (Photo by V.B. Asio) Mottles or mottling – are spots or blotches. They indicate that the soil has been subject to alternate wetting (reducing) and dry (oxidizing) conditions. Poor drainage produces bluish gray mottles. In aerobic soils, iron oxides produces striking colors ranging from yellow to red (red – hematite, yellow – goethite, orange – lepidocrocite, brown – ferrihydrite). Munsell Color Chart Munsell color system – a standard system used by soil scientists in identifying soil color Hue - the dominant spectral color (red, yellow, green, blue, violet). An example is 10YR (yellow-red). Value - the lightness or darkness of color. It ranges from 1 (dark) to 8 (light). Chroma - the purity or strength of color. It ranges from 1 (pale) to 8 (bright). II. Soil Texture relative proportion of sand, silt & clay (soil separates) relative distribution of soil separates of the fine earth fraction (
