Assignment 1

1. Discuss in details, ‘INORGANIC COLLOIDS’, using relevant illustrations and examples where necessary.
2. What is the CEC of a soil whose base saturation is 30% and exchangeable base cations is 85meq.
3. When several silica tetrahedral are associated in the same plane, a……………………………is formed.
4. …………………………………………. Is an example of 1:1 silicate clay.
5. What is Cation Exchange. Illustrate with relevant equations.
6. Calculate the exchangeable base cations in cmolkg^-1, of a soil whose base saturation is 60% and   CEC  is 120 cmolkg^-1
7. What is the exchangeable acidity of the soil in question 7 above.
8. Differentiate between the 1:1 and the 2:1 clay minerals
9. What is the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of a soil
10. What factors affect CEC.
11. Arrange these minerals/organic matter in their order of increasing CEC (organic matter, illite, montmorillonite, kaolinite)
12. What is lime requirement.
13. Mention two examples of agricultural limes.
14. The colloidal fraction of the soil consists of an organic and inorganic portion called…..&….
15. Name the two types of silicate clay minerals in the soil.
16. Differentiate between an acid and an alkaline soil
17. What is soil salinity
18. What are the natural causes of soil salinity
19. Mention the ranges of soil salinity and the ranges of soil pH
20. What are the effects of soil salinity on crops.
21. How can you ameliorate salinity in soils and how can you ameliorate acidity in soils.
22. Describe briefly the classes of humus, on the basis of solubility.
23. Discuss the factors that affect soil acidity
24. Discuss the causes of soil acidity
25. How does soil acidity affect crop performance.