Question

Given below are two statements:

Statement (I): The soil texture is defined as the relative proportion, by weight percentage, of sand, silt and clay in soil.

Statement (II): The aeration in fine textured soil is medium to poor.

In light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below.

• A. Both Statement (I) and Statement (II) are correct.
• B. Both Statement (I) and Statement (II) are incorrect.
• C. Statement (I) is correct but Statement (II) is incorrect.
• D. Statement (I) is incorrect but Statement (II) is correct.

Hint:

Recall the standard definition of soil texture and how particle size affects pore size and air movement in soil.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Check Statement (I) against the standard definition used in soil science. Soil texture is indeed defined as the relative proportion, by weight, of the three mineral particle-size groups, sand, silt and clay, present in a soil. This is the exact textbook definition, so Statement (I) is correct.

Step 2: Check Statement (II). Fine textured soils (clay and clay loam soils) are made up mostly of very small particles, which pack together tightly and leave very small pore spaces (micropores) between them. Small pores hold water strongly by capillary action but leave little room for air to move in and out, and they also drain slowly. As a result, fine textured soils are known to have medium to poor aeration compared to coarse (sandy) soils, which have larger pores and drain and aerate freely. So Statement (II) is also correct.

Step 3: Since both statements match established soil science facts, the correct choice is the option stating that both are correct. Options 3 and 4, which mark one of the statements as wrong, are incorrect, and option 2 is wrong because neither statement is false.