Unit 3 Vocab

Question 1

Aeration

Answer 1

The process by which air in the soil is replenished by air from the atmosphere.

Question 2

Bark

Answer 2

The tissues outside the vascular tissue overlying a woody stem.

Question 3

Cubic measurement

Answer 3

A system for the measurement of volume or space in cubic units.

Question 4

Density

Answer 4

Mass per unit volume.

Question 5

Drainage

Answer 5

The removal of surplus ground or surface water by artificial means.

Question 6

Fertilizer

Answer 6

Any organic or inorganic material added to soil or water to provide plant nutrients and to
increase the growth, yield, quantity, or nutritive value to the plants grown therein.

Question 7

Gypsum

Answer 7

A mineral calcium sulfate, combined with water of hydration.

Question 8

Lime

Answer 8

Calcium oxide, CaO, but, as commonly used in agricultural terminology, calcium carbonate,
CaCO3, and calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2, are included. Agricultural lime refers to any of these compounds
with or without magnesium carbonate, which are used as amendments chiefly for acid soils.

Question 9

Mass

Answer 9

A measure of the amount of matter in an object.

Question 10

Media

Answer 10

Soil or soil–like material in which plants are grown.

Question 11

Peat

Answer 11

Fibrous, partly decayed fragments of vascular plants that retain enough structure so that the peat
can be identified as originating from certain plants (e.g., sphagnum peat or sedge peat).

Question 12

Perlite

Answer 12

A volcanic glass having numerous concentric cracks that give rise to perlitic structure. Used in
synthetic potting media mix.

Question 13

Porosity

Answer 13

Refers to the extent of voids or openings in the soil that exist between soil particles and soil
peds or clods. These pores hold water and air for absorption by plant roots.

Question 14

Pumice

Answer 14

A porous or spongy form of volcanic glass.

Question 15

Soil

Answer 15

The mineral and organic surface of the earth capable of supporting upland plants.

Question 16

Vermiculite

Answer 16

A mineral, or minerals, classified with the micas, which with treatment at high temperatures,
expands into scales, and becomes a loose, absorbent mass.

Question 17

Volume

Answer 17

The quantity of three–dimensional space enclosed by some closed boundary.

Question 18

Acidity

Answer 18

Measure of hydrogen ions in a solution.

Question 19

Aeroponics

Answer 19

A system of hydroponics that involves misting of the roots with a nutrient solution.

Question 20

Aggregate culture

Answer 20

A hydroponic system that uses a media to absorb the nutrient solution and hold it for
the plant.

Question 21

Alkaline

Answer 21

A chemical term referring to a basic solution over a pH of 7.

Question 22

Conductivity tester

Answer 22

An electronic device used to measure the electrical conductivity.

Question 23

Dissolved oxygen

Answer 23

The amount of oxygen found in water or solution.

Question 24

Electrical conductivity

Answer 24

A measurement in hydroponics used to determine the amount of nutrient in
solution that is available to a plant.

Question 25

Hydroponics

Answer 25

Growing plants in a nutrient solution and a media other than soil.

Question 26

Media

Answer 26

Soil or soil like material in which plants are grown.

Question 27

Neutral

Answer 27

Having neither acid nor alkaline qualities, pH of 7.

Question 28

Nutrient

Answer 28

The minerals absorbed by plant roots and used for plant functions.

Question 29

Nutrient flow technique

Answer 29

A popular water culture technique where the nutrient solution is continuously
flowing at the tips of the plants roots set in a medium.

Question 30

pH

Answer 30

A numerical measure of acidity or hydrogen ion activity of a substance such as food or soil. The
neutral point is pH 7.0. All pH values below 7.0 are acid and all above 7.0 are alkaline.

Question 31

Rockwool

Answer 31

Fibers made of natural or synthetic minerals used as a media for growing plants in a
hydroponic system.

Question 32

Vermiculite

Answer 32

A mineral, or minerals, classified with the micas, which with treatment at high temperatures,
expands into scales, and becomes a loose, absorbent mass.

Question 33

Water culture

Answer 33

A hydroponic system where the roots are in constant contact with the nutrient solution
where the media may not be as absorbent.