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Soil is an assemblage of particles that have little to no cementation while rock (such as sandstone) may consist of an assembly of particles that are strongly cemented together by chemical bonds. The shear strength of soil is primarily due to interparticle friction and therefore, the shear resistance on a plane is approximately proportional to ...
Soil chemistry is the study of the chemical characteristics of soil.Soil chemistry is affected by mineral composition, organic matter and environmental factors. In the early 1870s a consulting chemist to the Royal Agricultural Society in England, named J. Thomas Way, performed many experiments on how soils exchange ions, and is considered the father of soil chemistry. [1]
Elastic properties describe the reversible deformation (elastic response) of a material to an applied stress.They are a subset of the material properties that provide a quantitative description of the characteristics of a material, like its strength.
Cation-exchange capacity (CEC) is a measure of how many cations can be retained on soil particle surfaces. [1] Negative charges on the surfaces of soil particles bind positively-charged atoms or molecules (cations), but allow these to exchange with other positively charged particles in the surrounding soil water. [2]
Soil bulk density, when determined at standardized moisture conditions, is an estimate of soil compaction. [3] Soil porosity consists of the void part of the soil volume and is occupied by gases or water. Soil consistency is the ability of soil materials to stick together. Soil temperature and colour are self-defining.
The bulk modulus (which is usually positive) can be formally defined by the equation =, where is pressure, is the initial volume of the substance, and / denotes the derivative of pressure with respect to volume.
Soil chemical reactions involve some combination of proton and electron transfer. Oxidation occurs if there is a loss of electrons in the transfer process while reduction occurs if there is a gain of electrons. Reduction potential is measured in volts or millivolts.
With time, the starting E h of a soil can be restored as water drains and the soil dries out. [1] [8] Soils with redox gradients formed by ascending groundwater are classified as gleysols, while soils with gradients formed by stagnant water are classified as stagnosols and planosols. Soil E h generally ranges from −300 to +900 mV. [8]