Components and Physical Properties of Soil

Unit: Soil Science Lesson 3

Objectives

• Define: aggregate, the four components of soil (mineral matter, organic matter, air and water), bulk density
• Describe the basic characteristics of the three soil textures – sand, silt and clay
• Create models of seven soil structures – granular, platy, wedge, blocky sub-angular, blocky angular, prismatic and columnar
• Explain factors that affect aggregate stability
• List and explain factors that affect soil structure
• Differentiate between soil structure and aggregate stability
• Explain what causes soil color
• Explain basic soil color indications

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Soil Texture

http://www.pdst.ie/sites/default/files/Particle%20Size.jpg

Seven Soil Structures

http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_circulars/CR667/images/fig2_3.jpg

Soil Structure

• Soil structure is the way in which the individual particles (sand, silt, and clay) are arranged into larger distinct aggregates.

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• Soil aggregates are groups of soil particles that bind together more strongly than to neighboring particles

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• Aggregate stability refers to the ability of soil aggregates to avoid disintegration when disturbed by tillage or erosion.

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• Bulk Density is and indicator of soil compaction and is calculated by the dry weight of soil divided by its volume. The variation in bulk density is due largely to the difference in total pore space

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Factors that affect…

Aggregate Stability

• Amount of clay
• Chemical elements
• Organic matter
• Biological activity

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Soil Structure

• Organic matter
• Soil organisms
• Tillage
• Freezing and thawing
• Water movement

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Differentiate between Soil Structure and Aggregate Stability

Soil Color

Causes of Soil Color

• Humus content
• Iron compounds in the soil

Basic Soil Color Indications

• Indicator of different soil types
• Indicator of certain physical and chemical characteristics
• Due to humus content and chemical nature of the iron componds