Alternate approach — Definition of pF:
The term 'pF' is defined analogously to pH, as the logarithm (base 10) of soil water suction expressed in centimetres of water:
\[ pF = \log_{10}(h_{cm}) \]
where \( h_{cm} \) is the matric suction (tension) in cm of water. Because suction increases as soil dries and decreases as soil wets, plotting pF, a measure of matric potential/suction, against the corresponding gravimetric or volumetric soil water content produces the soil moisture characteristic curve, universally called the pF curve.
Since pF is mathematically derived from suction (matric potential) and plotted against water content, the pF curve is, by definition, the soil water content-matric potential relation.