Question

Arrange the following forms of soil consistencies with decreasing soil wetness.
(A). Hard
(B). Friable/Soft
(C). Plastic
(D). Viscous
(E). Sticky
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. (A), (B), (C), (D), (E)
• B. (A), (B), (C), (E), (D)
• C. (B), (A), (E), (D), (C)
• D. (D), (E), (C), (B), (A)

Hint:

These boundaries are related to Atterberg limits: liquid limit (separates viscous/sticky), plastic limit (separates plastic/friable), and shrinkage limit (separates friable/hard).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Soil consistency describes the physical behavior of soil under varying moisture levels, transitioning from liquid to solid states as it dries.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
As a saturated, wet soil dries, it transitions through several consistency states:
Viscous (liquid state) [D]: High water content; soil flows under gravity.
Sticky (semi-liquid state) [E]: Highly cohesive; adheres to surfaces.
Plastic state [C]: Soil can be molded and shaped without breaking.
Friable/Soft state [B]: Soil crumbles easily under gentle pressure; ideal for tillage.
5. Hard (dry state) [A]: Soil is rigid and highly cohesive; breaks only under high force.
This sequence matches the decreasing wetness order: (D) $\rightarrow$ (E) $\rightarrow$ (C) $\rightarrow$ (B) $\rightarrow$ (A).

Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct order of decreasing soil wetness is (D), (E), (C), (B), (A).