Soil (on final)

Question 1

How long does it take for one inch of topsoil to be created?

Answer 1

10,000 years

Question 2

What particle size is gravel?

Answer 2

2-60mm

Question 3

What particle size is sand?

Answer 3

0.6-2mm

Question 4

What particle size is silt?

Answer 4

0.006-0.06mm

Question 5

What particle size is clay?

Answer 5

<0.002mm

Question 6

What are other parameters besides particle size observed with a sieve?

What can these determine?

Answer 6

• effective porosity
• soli type
• defining of apparent soil order and horizons

Determine: permeability of soil, pollutant migration tendency,

Question 7

What is the typical size of a representative soil sample

Answer 7

500-1000g

Question 8

What is compositing good at and what is it bad at?

Answer 8

Good at making a sample representative of the average

Bad by diluting analytes

Question 9

What are some common techniques for obtaining soil samples?

Answer 9

Scooping, coring, and augering

Question 10

What should an analyst review before sampling soil?

Answer 10

• site history
• background information
• conduct a site reconnaissance with incorporated pollutant migration routes

Question 11

What units should an analyst take soil samples from?

Answer 11

All stratigraphic units and should use compass tape measure or pace off distances with respect to a survey marker

Question 12

What is the purpose of many soil sampling programs?

Answer 12

Evaluating the geology and characterizing area

Question 13

What does soil quality look at?

Answer 13

Top soil characteristics and depth for vegetation support

Question 14

What are some applications of sampling programs?

Answer 14

• chemical analysis of soil or pollutants present
• agricultural analysis
• forestry analysis
• soil surveys

Question 15

Properties of a soil sample

Answer 15

-naturally viable(specially and temporally)

This occurs both across the landscape as well as down the profile

Question 16

Parameter that must be within a soil sampling program:

Answer 16

• pollutants
• depth to collect samples from
• sampling equipment
• sampling containers
• number of samples
• identify analytical parameters
• preservation and storage

Question 17

What are some analytical lab parameters?

Answer 17

• describe soil
• list required field analysis
• identify sampling approach
• identify physical boundaries of sampling area
• determine extent and depth of site

Question 18

What does pollution of soil typically occur though

Answer 18

Deposition of liquid spills, plumes from leaking tanks, water dumps and air borne contaminants

Question 19

Should you leaves and other surface materials before taking a soil sample usually?

Answer 19

Yes

Question 20

Should you sample deeper or more shallow when analyzing for volatile contaminants

Answer 20

Deeper

Question 21

List some sampling equipment

Answer 21

Shovels, scoops, soil punches, augers, and trenching

Question 22

What does the nature of an analyte dictate?

Answer 22

Depth, sampling device, construction and choice of materials within the sampling device