Soil Science Flashcards
Father of Modern Soil Science
V.V. Dokuchaev
He discussed the factors of soil formation and he introduced the ABC horizon nomenclature system.
V.V. Dokuchaev
In 1941, he published the book “Factors of Soil Formation”.
Hans Jenny
A systematic examination, description, classification, and mapping of the soils in a given area.
Soil Survey and Classification
The vertical section from the soil surface down to the bedrock or water table below.
Soil Profile
It is the horizontal layer of the soil.
Soil Horizon
This master horizon is composed of organic material.
O Horizon
This O subhorizon is where the organic material is well decomposed.
Oa subhorizon
This generally shows show horizons which may differ from one another in terms of various properties.
Soil Profile
The O horizon can be further classified into 3:
Oi, Oe, Oa
The subhorizon where the slightly decomposed organic materials are found within the O horizon.
Oi
This master horizon is generally characterized by being composed of mineral soil particles but strongly darkened by humus or organic matter mixed with the mineral fraction.
A horizon
The two subhorizons of the A horizon are:
Ap (Plowed), Ah (Humus)
Horizons from which clay, iron, aluminum, or some combination of these have been eluviated leaving a light-colored horizon.
E horizon
This master horizon occurs between the A and B horizons.
E horizon
The master horizon that formed below A, E, or O horizon, that is characterized by
- concentration of clay, iron, aluminum, silica
- evidence of removal of carbonates
- blocky structure
B Horizon
The most common B horizons in the country are Bt and Bw. Bt is structure formation and Bw is clay accumulation. Is this statement true or false?
False
This master horizon is relatively unaffected by soil-forming processes.
C Horizon
It is the weathered rock beneath the solum.
A horizon
This master horizon is characterized by a solid bedrock, which is not practically diggable by spade.
R Horizon
The color of the soil is determined by using a ________.
Munsell Color Chart
The three combinations of elements that is used by the Munsell Color Chart to determine the soil’s color classification.
Hue, Value, Chroma
This refers to the dominant wavelength or color of light.
Hue
This refers to the relative lightness and darkness of the color which is a measure of the total quantity of light, sometimes called the brilliance.
Value
The relative purity of the dominant color.
Chroma
This is referred to as the fineness or coarseness of the soil.
Soil Texture
What soil aggregate is abundant if, using the Field Method, will be smooth like baking flour.
Silt
The texture of the soil if the soil will be gritty when rubbed between fingers.
Sandy
The soil aggregate that, if abundant, makes the soil feel somewhat sticky, and the sample can be molded into different shapes like a molding clay.
Clay
The soil texture if there are equal amounts of sand, silt, and clay.
Loam
This is the arrangement of primary soil aggregates into secondary aggregates called peds.
Soil Structure
E: Eluviated.
B: Illuviated.
True or False?
True
It is the most obvious and easily determined soil physical property.
Soil Color
A standardized system used by soil scientists and geologists to determine the color of the soil.
Munsell Color System
“Calcium carbonates and salts” is not one of the factors that influence soil color. True or False?
False.
The factors that influence soil color are:
- Organic Matter
- Fe oxides
- Mn oxides
- Soil Moisture Content
- Calcium carbonates and salts
This provides the dark brown or black color of the soil and is usually found on surface layers.
Organic matter.
This provides the red, yellow, orange, and light brown colors of the soil.
Fe oxides
This is the primary coloring agent of the subsoil.
Fe oxides
This is responsible for black concretions in the soil.
Mn oxides
The soil will darken if it has a high moisture content. True or False?
True.
The drainage of the soil if the color is blue-gray.
Poorly-drained
The drainage of the soil if the has a high chroma.
Well-drained.
This is responsible for the white colors in soils.
Calcium carbonates and salts
The abundance of this soil color factor indicates that the soil has a basic or high pH.
Calcium carbonates and salts.
In the color notation:
10 YR 5/2.
Identify the value, the chroma, and the hue.
The value is 5. The chroma is 2. The hue is 10 YR.
The soil separates that make 100% of the soil’s relative proportion.
Sand, Silt, and Clay.
The maximum effective diameter of the sand, according to the USDA Classification.
2.0 millimeters.
The effective diameter of the sand is 2.0 - 0.05 mm.
The diameter of silt, according to USDA.
0.05 - 0.002 mm
This soil separate has a diameter that is less than 0.002 millimeters.
Clay
The feel method provides a quick, highly accurate, and reliable estimates of soil texture in the field. True or False?
False.
The field/feel method is not highly accurate, but reliable nonetheless.
Methods used in the laboratory in conducting Particle Size Analysis.
Hydrometer Method and Pipette Method
It is used to describe the soil texture based on the relative proportions of sand, silt, and clay in various types of soil.
Soil Texture Triangle
It is used to compare the compositions of soil aggregates within the soil to determine its overall classification.
Soil Texture Triangle
The soil has a strong soil structure if the peds are clearly observable and there is prominent arrangement of natural surfaces. True or False?
True
These are aggregates of soil particles formed as a result of pedogenic processes.
Peds
The peds are observable in place and there is a distinct arrangement of surfaces of weakness. This means that the soil structure of the soi is weak.
True or False?
False. Having peds that are observable and has a distinct arrangement makes it have a moderate soil structure.
The soil structure is weak if the peds are hardly observable in place. True or False?
True.
This refers to the degree of plasticity and stickiness of the soil.
Soil Consistence.
Which is referred to when these are provided?
- Soil Color
- Soil Texture
- Soil Structure
- Soil Consistence
- Soil pH
- Reaction to H2O2
- Abundance of Roots
Soil Properties
This soil property is affected by the type and amount of clay that is in the soil.
Soil Consistence.
The soil consistency is _______ is the wet soil adheres when pressed between thumb and finger.
Sticky
The soil consistence if ______ if the wet soil does not adhere to the fingers.
Non-sticky
This is the measure of acidity and alkalinity of soils.
Soil pH
The optimal pH range for most plants.
5.5 - 7
pH levels range from 0-14. What is the soil pH if the pH levels are equal to 7?
Neutral
What is the soil pH if the levels are equal to 9?
Alkaline
What is the soil pH if the level is equal to 5?
Acidic
This is a qualitative test for the organic matter content of the soil.
Reaction to H2O2
This refers to the formation of gas bubbles in a liquid by a chemical reaction.
Effervescence
Calcite exhibits effervescence when exposed to hydrochloric acid. True or False?
True.
Quartz exhibits effervescence when exposed to hydrochloric acid. True or False?
False
The distribution of roots in the soil profile indicates how well the soil supports the development of root system. True or False?
True
What is the abundance of roots if the percentage is 5-15%?
Few.
It is a naturally occurring inorganic substance which has a fairly definite chemical composition and physical properties.
Mineral.
What is the size of the roots if its diameter is more than 5.0 mm?
Coarse
These are minerals that are formed by the cooling and solidification of molten rocks or magma.
Primary minerals
These minerals originate from the chemical weathering of primary minerals.
Secondary minerals.
This is a combination of two or more minerals.
Rocks
The three major groups of rocks.
Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic.
The group of rocks that are formed from the cooling and solidification of magma.
Igneous rocks
They are considered as the mother of all rocks
Igneous rocks
They are the most abundant rocks in the Earth’s crust.
Igneous
These rocks are formed from the fragmentation of existing rocks.
Sedimentary rocks.
These are the most abundant rocks in the Earth’s surface.
Sedimentary rocks.
These are derived by partial melting and alteration of igneous and sedimentary rocks due to pressure, heat, or chemical action.
Metamorphic rocks
Give at least 3 physical properties of minerals.
The physical properties of minerals are:
1. Luster
2. Cleavage or Fracture
3. Hardness
4. Color
5. Streak
_________ refers to the color of the mineral in reflected light.
Luster refers to the color of the mineral in reflected light.
Three kinds of luster.
- Metallic luster
- Submetallic luster
- Nonmetallic
________ is the property of breaking along one or more smooth, parallel planes.
Cleavage is the physical property of breaking along one or more smooth, parallel planes.
Some minerals break in directions other than those along cleavage planes and form irregular patterns. This property is called ________.
Fracture.
Minerals that fracture weather faster than those that cleave. True or False?
False. Minerals that fracture weather more slowly than those that cleave.