Soils Physical Properties

Composition of Average Soil

Factors Affecting Soil Formation Climate Living Organisms (plants and animals) Parent Soil Material Topography Time

How To Determine Soil Texture §If soil crumbles easily, feels markedly gritty with a lack of smoothness §The soil is coarse textured and may be §Sandy loam or loamy sand §which depends on the sand content.

How To Determine Soil Texture §If no ribbon forms, and the soil feels smooth with slight or no grittiness, §The soil is medium textured and may be §Loam, Silt Loam, or Silt.

How To Determine Soil Texture §If you can form a ribbon from a ball of moistened soil, §the soil is fine textured and may be §Clay, Silty Clay, or Sandy Clay.

Determining soil Texture §Pick up soil sample §Rub between thumb and fingers feel whether it is §Sandy l coarse-gritty feel §Loamy l medium-silty, floury §Clay l fine-sticky when wet

The Relative Sizes of Sand, Silt, and Clay Particles

Sizes of Particles