Give an account of the properties of soil.

Explanation

The properties of soil include texture of soil, porosity, permeability of soil, soil temperature and soil water.
(i) Texture of soil : The size of soil particles decide the texture of the soil, the types of which include sand, slit and clay.
(ii) Porosity : The pore space is the space present between soil particles in a given volume of soil. Porosity of the soil depends on the percentage of soil volume occupied by pore space or by the interstitial space between soil particles.
(iii) Permeability of soil : Soil permeability is the characteristic of soil that determines the movement of water through pore space. The permeability of soil is directly depend on the pore size and water holding capacity of the soil is inversely depend on soil porosity.
(iv) Soil temperature : Solar radiation gives heat energy to the soil. The decomposition of organic matter and heat from interior earth are other sources of heat to the soil. The germination of seeds, growth of roots and biological activity of soil dwelling micro and macro organisms are affected by soil temperature.
(v) Soil water : Soil water acts as solvent of dissolved untrients and transporting agent. It also maintains soil texture, arrangement and compactness of soil particles, making soil habitable for plants and animals.