Chapter 3: Chemical and Biological Properties of Soil
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1) What does Cation Exchange Capacity mean?
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2) What is meant by the term “soil colloids”?
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3) How do negative charges arise on the surface of the soil colloids?
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4) How is soil pH defined?
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5) What is the optimum pH for the growth of plants?
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6) How can one modify the pH of the soil?
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7) How does lime neutralise the soil pH?
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8) How does soil pH influence biological process such as plant and crop growth?
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9) How is soil pH measured?
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10) Name three micro and three macro soil organisms.
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11) What is meant by soil humus?
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12) What is meant by soil biomass?
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13) Why are organisms such as bacteria and fungi a necessary part of soil organisms?
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14) What is meant by the term degradation of soil organic matter?
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15) In soil how does organic matter differ to inorganic matter?
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16) Using a labelled diagram, explain the process of the Carbon Cycle.
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17) How would you demonstrate Cation Exchange?
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