Author Question: List and briefly describe the various chemical properties used to differentiate soils. What will ... (Read 56 times)

jenna1

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 568
List and briefly describe the various chemical properties used to differentiate soils.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Roughly 95 of the Earth's crust is made up of silicates.
 
  Indicate whether the statement is true or false



sylvia

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 331
Answer to Question 1

Soil colloids are the tiny particles of clay or organic material suspended in the soil solution. These carry a negative electrical charge and, therefore, attract positively charged ions in the soil. These positively charged ions, are often critical to plant growth. Without these negatively charged colloids, these positively charged ions would be leached away.
Colloid surfaces can exchange cations with the soil solution. The ability to do so is called cation-exchange capacity (CEC). This is a measure of soil fertility  the higher the CEC, the higher the fertility.
A soil solution may contain a significant amount of hydrogen ions, which stimulate acid formation. Soils rich in hydrogen ions are an acidic soil, while those high in base cations (such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium) are basic or alkaline soils.

Answer to Question 2

FALSE



Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question
 

Did you know?

Limit intake of red meat and dairy products made with whole milk. Choose skim milk, low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Limit fried food. Use healthy oils when cooking.

Did you know?

In most climates, 8 to 10 glasses of water per day is recommended for adults. The best indicator for adequate fluid intake is frequent, clear urination.

Did you know?

Never take aspirin without food because it is likely to irritate your stomach. Never give aspirin to children under age 12. Overdoses of aspirin have the potential to cause deafness.

Did you know?

The human body's pharmacokinetics are quite varied. Our hair holds onto drugs longer than our urine, blood, or saliva. For example, alcohol can be detected in the hair for up to 90 days after it was consumed. The same is true for marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, methamphetamine, and nicotine.

Did you know?

Ether was used widely for surgeries but became less popular because of its flammability and its tendency to cause vomiting. In England, it was quickly replaced by chloroform, but this agent caused many deaths and lost popularity.

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library