Question

If the soil feels smooth and talc-like, with no grittiness, silt predominates and the soil is termed:

A) Fine textured
B) Moderately fine textured
C) Medium textured
D) Moderately coarse textured
E) Coarse textured

Answer 1

If the soil feels smooth and talc-like without grittiness, it is high in silt and therefore has a fine texture. Soil texture affects various characteristics important for plant growth and soil health.

Step-by-step explanation:

If the soil feels smooth and talc-like, with no grittiness, this is indicative of a high silt content. Silt particles are smaller than sand but larger than clay, typically ranging from 0.002 to 0.1 mm in diameter.

Soil texture plays a vital role in soil characteristics, including water retention, nutrient availability, and root penetration. Soils that have a predominance of silt are known to have a fine texture; hence, when the soil feels smooth like talc and lacks grittiness, it is best described as fine-textured soil.