Warning: The following questions may be poorly worded and subjective. Exam questions will be worded differently. Exams may also contain questions not listed here.

1. What are the 4 constituents of soils
2. Define Soil Texture
3. Name and define the three soil particle sizes of agricultural importance
4. If given a textural triangle and the % of each particle, you should be able to name the soil textural class
5. Describe the physical nature of each particle size
6. Name the primary mineralogical composition of each particle size
7. Describe the chemical characteristics of each particle size
8. Define Soil Structure
9. What is aggregation?
1. Identify 3 factors which can cause aggregation
10. Why is aggregation a good thing? (At least 2 reasons)
11. What can be done to improve the structure of a sandy soil.


12. What are ions?
13. What charge do Cations have? To what are they attracted?
14. What is Cation Exchange? (Do not use the word Cation)
15. On which constituents of soil does Cation Exchange occur?
16. Where are the negative charges on Organic Matter?
17. On Inorganic Matter (tricky!)?
18. What causes the appearance of the negative charges?
19. What is needed for cation exchange to occur? (The common media for the rxn)
20. By the way, what is meant by Cation Exchange Capacity? (Don't use the words exchange or capacity)
21. Give three reasons why it is important to know the CEC of a soil?
22. Why does low pH reduce the effective CEC?
23. Rank in general order of CEC (low to high): Clay soils, Sand, Silt, and Roots
24. Distinguish between Cation Exchange, CEC and the Cation Exchange Complex
    


25. What is Base Saturation?
1. What does it tell us about the soil?
26. Name 4 basic Cations. Name 2 acidic Cations.
27. What is Anion Exchange?
28. On what type of soil is Anion exchange important?
1. Of what practical significance is it in these here parts?
29. Explain why legumes might be more prone to K deficiency.


30. Identify the three means for nutrients to get from the soil into the root. Describe EACH.
31. What is the extent of nutrient uptake due to root growth?
32. Which nutrients are NOT primarily absorbed through mass flow?
33. What causes Mass flow into the plants?
34. Is it possible for roots to absorb 400% of a nutrient? Explain. (Tricky)
35. Identify 4 other factors that influence nutrient absorption
36. Give different reasons why fertilizers improve diffusion and mass flow absorption.
37. How would a clay soil... affect diffusion and mass flow? How would low temperatures?
38. How would low moisture affect diffusion and mass flow and root growth (interception)?


39. Identify the 3 major forces acting on soil water
40. What is capillarity?
41. How does plowing affect capillarity?
42. Define Saturation, Field Capacity, Wilting Point and Hygroscopic water
43. How much of the soil water is available to plants?


44. Define in terms of chemistry: An acid
45. In very general terms, what does the ‘pH' of a soil indicate?
46. In specific terms (for a chemist), what does pH indicate (what is actually measured)?
47. What is the precise difference in H ion concentration between a soil with a pH of 4 and one with a pH of 6.
48. In general, how is an acid soil neutralized? (What reaction must occur?)
49. Name 3 causes for the development of soil acidity
50. Identify 4-5 natural sources of acids and 1 non-natural source.


51. Indicate two kinds of fertilizers that usually increase soil acidity? (Nutrient type)
52. What is the pH target range for most plants? What about in the Southeast US?
53. What should be the main objective when liming an acidic sandy soil in the SE? (Not a pH)
54. How are the following affected by acidic soils:
1. Microorganisms
2. Macronutrient availability
3. Micronutrient availability (2 groups. Which are more/less available?)
55. What are some effects of increased Al solubility in acid soils?


56. What is Lime?
57. Specifically, indicate the 2 ways that lime can reduce soil acidity?
58. Name 3 liming materials (by name or by chemical formula)
59. With all else being equal, which liming material works best?
60. Aside from the chemical formula, what 2 factors have the most influence over the Effectiveness of lime?
61. Ignoring price, an agriculturalist should choose liming materials on the bases of what 3 factors?
62. Name 2 direct benefits of reduced acidity.
63. Name 4 indirect benefits of lime
64. How deep should lime generally be placed? Give 2 possible examples
65. Name 2 ways (or forms) in which lime can be applied.