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Soil Physical Properties Quiz

Total questions: 30

Worksheet time: 16mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

The relative proportion of sand, silt, and clay in a soil sample is called:

a)

Soil color

b)

Soil texture

c)

Soil structure

d)

Soil porosity

2.

Which soil separate has the largest particle size?

a)

Clay

b)

Silt

c)

Sand

d)

Gravel

3.

The Munsell Soil Color Chart is used to measure:

a)

Soil temperature

b)

Soil porosity

c)

Soil color

d)

Soil consistency

4.

A dark soil color is usually an indication of:

a)

High iron oxides

b)

High organic matter

c)

Poor drainage

d)

Low fertility

5.

Reddish soil color is caused mainly by:

a)

Iron oxides

b)

Organic matter

c)

Sulfur compounds

d)

Manganese oxides

6.

Mottled soils with spots or blotches indicate:

a)

Good aeration

b)

Drainage problems

c)

High fertility

d)

Presence of humus

7.

Which soil structure type is typical of paddy soils?

a)

Granular

b)

Platy

c)

Columnar

d)

Blocky

8.

Which soil separate has the smallest particle size?

a)

Sand

b)

Gravel

c)

Clay

d)

Silt

9.

A soil textural class with ≥70% sand is classified as:

a)

Loam

b)

Clay loam

c)

Sandy soils

d)

Silty clay

10.

The bulk density of soil is defined as:

a)

Mass of dry soil / volume of solids

b)

Mass of dry soil / total volume

c)

Mass of moist soil / pore volume

d)

Mass of solids / pore space

11.

The ideal/optimal particle density of mineral soil is about:

a)

1.33 g/cm³

b)

2.65 g/cm³

c)

3.00 g/cm³

d)

0.98 g/cm³

12.

The ideal/optimal bulk density of agricultural soils is about:

a)

0.98 g/cm³

b)

2.65 g/cm³

c)

1.33 g/cm³

d)

1.50 g/cm³

13.

The void ratio (e) is defined as:

a)

Vt / Vs

b)

Vp / Vs

c)

Vs / Vt

d)

Ms / Mw

14.

Soil porosity is important because it affects:

a)

Aeration and water movement

b)

Soil temperature

c)

Soil color development

d)

Plasticity index

15.

A soil with PI (plasticity index) greater than 17 is classified as:

a)

Non-plastic

b)

Low plasticity

c)

Medium plasticity

d)

Highly plastic

16.

Which law governs the principle of hydrometer method of soil texture analysis?

a)

Darcy's law

b)

Stokes' law

c)

Newton's law

d)

Pascal's law

17.

Which soil structure type is associated with granular peds?

a)

Platy

b)

Blocky

c)

Spheroidal

d)

Columnar

18.

The grade of soil structure with durable distinct peds, breaking almost completely into entire peds is:

a)

Weak

b)

Moderate

c)

Strong

d)

Structureless

19.

The type of soil water that is available to plants is:

a)

Gravitational water

b)

Capillary water

c)

Hygroscopic water

d)

Superfluous water

20.

Permanent wilting point occurs at about:

a)

0 atm

b)

1/3 bar

c)

15 bar

d)

31 bar

21.

Soil air differs from atmospheric air mainly because:

a)

It contains more oxygen

b)

It contains more carbon dioxide

c)

It is identical in composition

d)

It is more abundant in nitrogen

22.

Aeration porosity values below ______ are considered limiting for root growth.

a)

5%

b)

10%

c)

20%

d)

30%

23.

Which soil temperature range is most favorable for seed germination?

a)

0-5 °C

b)

10-20 °C

c)

13-38 °C

d)

40-50 °C

24.

Which soil separate contributes most to nutrient storage and CEC?

a)

Sand

b)

Gravel

c)

Clay

d)

Silt

25.

Which soil property describes the resistance of soil to change in pH?

a)

Cohesion

b)

Buffering capacity

c)

Porosity

d)

Plasticity

26.

Rock fragments larger than 24 inches are called __________.

4 lines
27.

The arrangement of primary particles into secondary aggregates or peds is called __________.

4 lines
28.

The ability of a soil to resist breaking apart at different moisture contents is called __________.

4 lines
29.

The exchange of gases between soil and the atmosphere is called __________.

4 lines
30.

The property that refers to the ratio of mass of dry soil solids to the volume of those solids alone is __________.

4 lines