Properties of Soils

Water present in the soil in any form is termed soil water. Many types of sοil water: Ground (Free, Gravity) water, Capillary water, Structural water, and Adsorbed water.

The various techniques for determining the water content of soil are as follows: Oven Drying Method, Sand Bath Method, Alcohol Method, Pycnometer Method, Calcium Carbide or Moisture Meter Method, Radiation Method, and Torsional Balance Method.

Water content (w):It is define as the weight of water to the weight of solids present in the given soil mass. Moisture content (m): It is define as the mass of water to the mass of solids present in the given soil mass. The  result of water content & moisture content are same .

Soil is a three-phase system that consists of solid, liquid & gaseous matter, that do not occupy separate spaces, but are blended with each other in a definite proportion, which in turn governs the properties 0f soil.

There are many types of soil. Examples – Alluvial soil, Lacustrine soil, Marine soil, Aeolian soil, Glacial soil, Colluvial soil, Loess soil, Marl soil & others.

The process of formation of soil is termed as PEDOGENESIS. Soil is formed due to the weathering (erosion /wear and tear) of rocks. Weathering of rock can occur either physically or chemically.