Infiltration Soil Water Flashcards
Terrasphere
water moves through the soil in response to both gravity and tension
Gravity
water flows to center of earth, downward
Tension
water is adhesive and holds onto soil; under stress; pulled in opposite directions
Soil Formation
takes hundreds of years to make 1 inch
Soil Formation Factors
parent material, time, climate, geology, biological agents
Parent Material
igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic
Climate
black, red, rocky, solid
“Black” Horizon
leaching zone organics here, most roots, susceptible to erosion
“Red” Horizon
accumulation zone, nutrients collect here
“Rocky” Horizon
weathered bedrock here
“Solid” Horizon
bedrock here
Moves Soil
water, wind, glaciers, finger lakes region
Residual Soil
soil material which is the result of weathering and decomposition of rocks that has not been transported from its original place
Colluvial Soil
loose, unconsolidated sediments that have been deposited at the base of hillslopes by either rainwash, sheetwash, slow continuous downslope creep, or a variable combination of these processes
Marine
of, found in, or produced by the sea
Lacustrine
relating to or associated with lakes
Alluvial
moving water
Fluvioglacial
water from ice
Glacial
ice
Aeolian
wind
Soil Texture Classes
silt, clay, sand, loam
Characterizing Soil
texture class, particle size, porosity, hydrologic soil group
Particle Size Example
fine gravel > coarse sand > medium sand > fine sand > silt and clay
Why do we need particle size standards?
The amount of open space between the particles influences how easily water moves through a soil and how much water the soil will hold
Soils are Non-homogeneous
usually a mix of sands, silts, clays (texture classes)
Soil Texture Triangle Example
30% Clay, 10% Silt, 60% Sand
Bucket of Soil
dirt (solid), water (liquid), air (gas)
Total Volume
Volume Water + Volume Air + Volume Solids
Soil Water
water in soil; fills the voids and pushes out the gases
Hydroscopic Water
typically not removed