Soil Flashcards
soil. ph. minerals. elements. water
1
Q
is what letter is capital in ph
A
lowercase p Capital H
2
Q
what does pH mean
A
p - inverse log function
H - Hydrogen
3
Q
what element is C
A
carbon
4
Q
What element is H
A
Hydrogen
5
Q
what element is O
A
oxygen
6
Q
what element is N
A
Nitrogen
7
Q
What element is P
A
phosphorus
8
Q
what element is K
A
potassium
9
Q
why is potassium K
A
K for Kalium. its German
10
Q
what is pH
A
measurement for hydrogen ions
11
Q
what is H in reference to ions
A
it has no charge
12
Q
what is H+ in reference to charged ions
A
positively charged. a cation.
12
Q
what is H- in reference to ions
A
negatively charged. a anion
12
Q
what does water molecules look like
A
mickey mouse. 2 hydrogen ears, 1 oxygen body.
13
Q
adhesion
A
sticking to something else
13
Q
cohesion
A
sticks to itself
13
Q
are water molecules polar
A
yes
14
Q
what makes surface tension
A
cohesion and adhesion
14
Q
how does water go ups stuff
A
it pulls itself up
15
Q
what is a universal solvent
A
water
16
Q
is hydrogen positive or negative
A
positive
17
Q
is hydroxide positive or negative
A
negative
18
Q
what is soil made up of
A
minerals, water, air, organic matter
18
Q
what are the minerals in soil
A
sand, silt, clay
19
what is the pH scale
0-14.
0-7: acidic
7: neutral
8-14: base/alkaline
20
what percent of soil is water
25%
20
what percent of soil is minerals
45%
21
what percent of soil is air
25%
21
what is in air
oxygen and nitrogen
22
what percent of soil is organic matter
5%
23
what are sand particles
biggest particle
.05mm - 2.0mm
round, gritty, adds porosity, reduces water holding capacity
24
what is silt
medium particle
.002mm-.05mm
round but hard to detect, smooth but does not stick together well, good for porosity, helps water holding capacity
25
what do ribbon tests check for
clay
25
what is clay
smallest particle
less than .002mm
flat, platy, sticky when wet, bad for porosity, ties up water so plants can use it.
25
what is a loam
mix of sand, silt, clay optimal for plant growing
26
permeability rate
how quickly water goes through soil
27
water holding capacity
how much water is retained by soil particles
28
what does permeability depend on
texture, structure, organic matter (porosity)
29
what makes pores in soil
roots, organic matter, animals, soil particle size/fit
30
rapid permeability characteristics
sands and silts. strong to any. porous
31
slow permeability characteristics
clays, weak and massive, not porous.
32
high water holding capacity characteristics
silts, loams, clays. organic matter present
33
low water holding capacity characteristics
sand. organic matter absent
34
available water
free for plants to use
35
unavailable water
held too tightly by clay particles and surface tension
36
saturated soils
have excess water that will run off increasing erosion concerns
37
essential elements for proper growth and plant development
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen
38
macronutrients elements for proper growth and plant development
calcium, magnesium, nitrogen, phosphorus. potassium, sulfur
39
micronutrients elements for proper growth and plant development
boron, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, zinc
40
elements found in atmosphere
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen
41
atmospheric elements combine into what
carbon dioxide, water, glucose
42
macro nutrients are required in large or trace amounts
large
43
micronutrients are required in high or trace amounts
trace
44
primary are required in the highest or lower
highest
45
secondary are required in the highest or lower amounts
lower
46
primary macronutrients
Nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium
47
what is nitrogen for
present in chlorophyll
increases vegetive growth
deficiency symptoms: stunted growth, pale yellow color, yellow color fires
48
nitrogen deficiency symptoms
stunted growth, pale yellow color, yellow color fires
49
what is phosphorous for
early plant growth
reproduction
50
what is potassium for
photosynthesis, primarily sugar transformation
51
phosphorous deficiency symptoms
reddish coloring on underside of leaves. low quantity of flowers and fruits, weak and spindly growth
52
potassium deficiency
slow growth, brown leaf tips and leaf margins, poor fruit and seed quality
53
secondary macronutrients
calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S)
54
what is sulfur for
amino acids, enzyme production chlorophyll formation
54
what is magnesium for
produces chlorophyll, regulates plant nutrient metabolism
55
sources of plant nutrients
organic substances, legumes, chemical fertalizers
56
legumes
peanuts, soybeans, vetch
56
organic substances
manure, sludge, compost.
57
what do legumes do
fix nitrogen. improves nitrogen content in soil, often rotated with nitrogen depleting crops since most other crops deplete nitrogen
57
what do organic substances do
manure contains nutrients in varying amounts. composting raises organic matter content destroying pathogens
58
chemical fertilizers
manufactured fertilizers. inorganic compounds concentrate desired nutrients.
59
forms of chemical fertilizers
dry, liquid, liquid soluble powder
59
benifits and disadvantages of manufactured fertalizers
benefits: easy to apply, concentrated, readily available, formulated plants needs
disadvantages: expensive, petroleum based
59
is it easier to make a soil more alkaline or acidic
its easier to de-acidify. you can add lime.
60
if pH is wrong will fertilizer help
no. you need to fix the pH
