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ASRB Physical Science - Memory Based Questions - 2014 -

Eetela Sathyanarayana

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 ASRB - 2014
Physical Science
(MEMORY BASED QUESTIONS)
1. Release of mineral K may be a major source of plant nutrient in
a) Soils rich in kaolinite mineral
b) Soils rich in illitic mineral
c) Soils rich in montmorillonite mineral
d) Soils rich in halloysite mineral
2. Which of the following soil physical property is not dynamic
a) Soil texture b) Soil crusting
c) Compaction d) Consistency
3. For efficient use of urea nitrogen, it should be
a) Broadcast on soil surface uniformly
b) Drill placed 1/3rd as basal dose below soil surface
c) Apply all as basal dose at the time of sowing
d) Apply all as basal dose at time of flowering
4. The volume occupied by mineral matter in an ideal soil varies between

a) 3 - 5 % b) 10 - 25 %
c) 25 - 35 % d) 45 - 55 %
5. Which of the following mineral has surface area 700 - 800 m2/g
a) Kaolinite
b) Illite
c) Montmorillonite
d) Chlorite
6. With increase in soil aeration through tillage, the gaseous losses of N through
denitrification
a) Decreases b) Increases
c) Remains unaffected d) May increase or decrease
7. Nitrate form of nitrogen relatively ---------- mobile than ammonical form in
soil
a) More b) Less
c) Both are equally mobile d) Both are equally immobile
8. Movement of nutrient ions along with irrigation water or rainwater is called
a) Diffusion b) Mass flow
c) Contact exchange d) Passive absorption
9. Actinomycetes are most active organisms in the decomposition of organic
matter at
a) Initial stage of decomposition
b) Terminal stage of decomposition
c) Middle stage of decomposition
d) Throughout the decomposition process
10. Organic sulphur must be oxidized to sulphate before it can be utilized by
crop plants, such a process is strictly
a) Thermodynamic in nature b) Biological in nature
c) Physiological in nature d) Physical in nature
11. In submerged soils, nitrification process cannot be completed because of
lack of adequate aeration, and reactions stops at
a) NO2 level b) NH4+ level
c) NH2 level d) NO3- level
12. Which organism is leaf-inhabitant?
a) Azotobacter b) Beijerinckia
c) Aerobacter d) Clostridium
13. Element essential for the flocculation of soil
a) Sodium b) Potassium
c) Calcium d) Magnesium
14. The sequence of relative replacing powers of cation species is
a) Ca+2 > Mg+2 > Ba+2 > Sr+2 b) Ca+2 > Sr+2 > Ba+2 > Mg+2
c) Ba+2 > Sr+2 > Ca+2 > Mg+2 d) Mg+2 > Ba+2 > Sr+2 > Ca+2
15. If EC of irrigation and drainage water is 4 and 8 dS/m then the Leaching
Requirement will be
a) 200 % b) 25 %
c) 50 % d) 40 %
16. The specific surface area of colloidal particles among the following clay
minerals is highest for
a) Mica b) Vermiculite
c) Chlorite d) Kaolinite
17. The pH is defined as
a) Log of H+ ion concentration b) - log of H+ ion activity
c) - log of H+ concentration d) + log of H+ activity
18. Single super phosphate is manufactured by treating rock phosphate with
a) Hydrochloric acid b) Nitric acid
c) Sulphuric acid d) Phosphoric acid
19. Symbiosis in N2 fixation for plant benefit of low land rice crop in the
tropical and sub tropical regions without the formation of root nodules is
through
a) Azotobacter non legume plants
b) Mycorrhizae-tree plant roots
c) Azolla-anabaena
d) Rhizobium-legume plants
20. Incorporation of crop residues, green manuring and other organic materials
into the soil at the time of puddling for low land rice cultivation results in
a) Increase in redox potential of soil solution
b) Decrease in redox potential of soil solution
c) Redox potential remains unaffected
d) Initially increase later decrease
21. Which of the following does not represent anaerobic nitrogen fixing bacteria
a) Clostridium b) Chromatium
c) Achromobacter d) Chlorobium
22. The unit of bulk density is
a) Mg/m3 b) g/cm2
c) cm/cm3 d) cal/g
23. The hydraulic potential refers to
a) Gravitational potential
b) Matric potential
c) Osmotic potential
d) Gravitational and Matric potential
24. Which of the following genera do not contain species that fix nitrogen
symbiotically?
a) Nitrobacter b) Frankia
c) Rhizobium d) Anabaena
25. Smectite is a --------- type of mineral
a) Non-expanding b) Expanding
c) Fixed d) Interstratified
26. Casagrande apparatus is used for measuring
a) Upper plastic limit of soil b) Soil air content
c) Soil pore volume d) Soil crust strength
27. The primary soil particles visible only with a microscope constitute the
following group
a) Fine sand particles b) Silt particles
c) Clay particles d) Both b and c
28. Which of the following term is not generally used for wet consistency of
soils
a) Non sticky b) Sticky
c) Very sticky d) Extremely sticky
29. In reconnaissance soil survey for regional level planning, the distance between
field observations should be about
a) 5 to 10 km b) 1.0 to 2.5 km
c) 0.5 to 1.0 km d) < 0.5 km
30. Volcanic ash material soils belong to the order
a) Andisols b) Oxisols
c) Ultisols d) Vertisols
31. A suction of 100 kpa is equivalent to
a) 1 bar b) 10 bar
c) 100 bar d) 1000 bar
32. Which of the following compound is most resistant to decomposition
a) Cellulose b) Hemicelluloses
c) Lignin d) Proteins
33. Name the bacteria, which is mainly responsible for sulphur oxidation in soil
a) Nitrosomonas b) Azotobacter
c) Nitrobacter d) Thiobacillus
34. ‘Spheroidal’ is a type of
a) Structure b) Texture
c) Plasticity d) Surface slope
35. Which fertilizer is highly hygroscopic?
a) Urea b) Diammonium phosphate
c) Sodium nitrate d) Ammonium sulphate
36. Most common micronutrient to which the crops respond in Indian soils is
a) Boron b) Manganese
c) Zinc d) Copper
37. Ideal range of pH for better crop growth is
a) 6.5 to 7.5 b) 7.5 to 8.5
c) Below 6.5 d) 5.0 to 6.0
38. Which position at the layer silicate has maximum specificity for K+ fixation?
a) e - positions b) p - positions
c) i - positions d) Both a and b
39. Infiltration rate of water into soil increases with
a) Increase of organic matter content of surface soil layer
b) Increase in organic matter content in the sub surface of soil layer
c) Increase with uniform distribution of organic matter in the profile
d) Is independent amount of soil organic matter
40. The negative and very low value of redox potential in submerged soils
indicates
a) High alkaline conditions
b) Strong reducing conditions
c) Strong oxidizing conditions
d) High acid conditions
41. In Olsen’s method of soil available P2O5, SnCl2 is added to
a) Stabilize the complex b) Reduce the complex
c) Oxidize the complex d) Dissolve precipitate
42. Flocculation of clay particle is associated with
a) Decrease in the thickness of diffuse double layer
b) Increase in the thickness of diffuse double layer
c) No change in the thickness of diffuse double layer
d) Initially increase later decrease
43. For digestion of soil or plant samples in H2SO4 for N determination, the
recommended temperature is
a) 360 - 410° C b) 410 - 450° C
c) 40 - 510° C d) 560 - 600° C
44. While oxidation of organic materials mediated by soil microbes serves as a
source of energy for them, simultaneously there is a release of
a) CO2 b) N2 O
c) CH4 d) NO2
45. Highly resistant humic substances, insoluble both in alkali and acid are
grouped in
a) Humin b) Humic acid
c) Fulvic acid d) Humus
46. Nitrification of NH4+ carried by
a) Fungi b) Bacteria
c) Algae d) Actinomycetes
47. The homogenization of solum by biological and physical churning and cycling
of soil material is
a) Melanisation b) Lucinizatoin
c) Pedoturbation d) Ripening
48. The permanent charge is more as compared to pH dependent charge in
a) Kaolinite b) Humus
c) Montmorillonite d) Halloysite
49. The microbial biomass component of organic matter in soil is
a) 2 - 4 % b) 3 - 5 %
c) 4 - 6 % d) 5 - 6 %
50. Internal surface area of kaolinite type of clay mineral is
a) Medium b) Nil
c) Low d) High
51. Usually C: N ratio of fresh plant material is
a) Less than 10:1 b) Less than 20:1
c) Less than 30:1 d) More than 30:1
52. The EC value of an irrigation water is 1000 micromhos/cm, is equals to
------- of salt concentration
a) 100 ppm b) 6400 ppm
c) 640 ppm d) 2000 ppm
53. Relative abundance of sedimentary rocks in the upper 5 kms of earth
surface about ------- percent
a) 74 b) 18
c) 26 d) 82
54. Nitrobacter is
a) Heterotroph b) Autotroph
c) Symbiont d) Nitrite former
55. Volatilization of ammonia occurs only when the soil is
a) Acidic with pH < 6.0
b) Near neutral with pH 6.0 - 7.0
c) Near neutral with pH 7.0 - 8.0
d) Alkaline with pH > 8.0
56. Sodium clay enriched horizon is called
a) Natric b) Cambic
c) Argillic d) Oxic
57. Nitrogenous losses from surface applied ammonium in a soil with pH 8.9
would be in the form of
a) N2 O b) N2
c) NO d) NH3
58. Reduced or no-tillage in conservation agricultural practices is intended to
a) Maximize oxidation of soil organic matter
b) Optimize oxidation of soil organic matter
c) Minimize the oxidation of soil organic matter
d) Not related to oxidation
59. Which of the following is the typical thermophilic fungal species develop
during composting
a) Bacillus
b) Streptococcus thermophilus
c) Humicola
d) Bacillus and streptococcus thermophilus
60. Easily oxidisable organic matter sometimes native soil organic carbon (SO
C) due to
a) Synergistic effect b) Mutualistic effect
c) Priming effect d) Sequestration effect
61. Sand stone is changed to quartzite due to
a) Metamorphism b) Cooling at depth
c) Sedimentation d) Cementing
62. Horizon in which albic horizon characteristics gradually intrudes into an
Argillic or Kandic or Natric horizon is termed as
a) Agric b) Glossic
c) Grossarenic d) Gypsic
63. The soil particles should be large enough not to undergo Brownian movement
is a pre requisite for the use of
a) Brownian law b) Darcy’s law
c) Stoke’s law d) Poiseuilles law
64. Microbial exudates in the root zone plays important role in increasing the
availability of P by formation of
a) Soluble chelates b) Insoluble chelates
c) Insoluble complex compound d) Complex material
65. Phosphate fixing capacity is high in
a) Desert soils b) Red soils
c) Alluvial soils d) Peat soils
66. At high pH values, the cation exchange capacity of humus on a mass basis
is
a) 80 - 100 C. mol (P+)/kg
b) 100 - 150 C. mol ( P+)/kg
c) 150 - 300 C. mol ( P+)/kg
d) 350 - 500 C. mol (P+)/kg
67. The texture of the soils containing almost equal proportions of sand, silt and
clay particles
a) Sand b) Silt loam
c) Loam d) Clay loam
68. Who is the father of Soil testing
a) Larsen b) Jackson
c) Troug d) Marshall
69. The factor for converting EC (dS/m) to concentration (me/l) in dilute solution
is
a) 20 b) 30
c) 10 d) 100
70. Montmorillonite is ------ mineral
a) Dimorphic b) Hydromorphic
c) Tetramorphic d) Trimorphic
71. Mechanical method of erosion control can be viewed as an attempt to
a) Increase in soil resistance to erosion
b) Control the energy of erosion
c) Increase the soil erosivity
d) Decrease rainfall intensity
72. Serpentine is a mineral of
a) Trioctahedral b) Dioctahedral
c) Mixed layer d) Amorphous
73. Six master soil horizons are recognized by capital letters
a) OAEBCR b) OAEKCR
c) OAELCR d) OAECDR
74. The pH of a solution is 6. The concentration of OH– ions (g ions/l) will be
a) 10–6 b) 10–5
c) 10–8 d) 106
75. Saline soils are reclaimed/managed by
a) Addition of gypsum b) Addition of lime
c) Leaching the soluble salts d) Addition of pyrite
76. The process responsible for the formation of sodic soil is
a) Salinization b) Alkalization
c) Podzolization d) Calcification
77. The Sodicity of water can be expressed by
a) ECE b) SAR
c) ESP d) SSP
78. The dominant cation on exchange complex of normal soils is
a) Mg b) Ca
c) K d) Al
79. Which soil has lowest thermal conductivity?
a) Peat or Organic b) Loam
c) Sand d) Clay
80. The upper limit of clay size in the USDA system
a) 0.05 mm dia b) 0.02 mm dia
c) 0.002 mm dia d) 0.001 mm dia
81. Rhizobium differ from Bradyrhizobium most importantly
a) Acid production b) N fixing ability
c) Growth rate d) Nodulation pattern
82. Strictly anaerobic bacterium is
a) Rhizobium b) Clostridium
c) Azospirillum d) Corynebacterium
83. Passage of water through a soil column creates measurable potential across the two ends
(inflow and outflow). The potential is termed as
a) Water potential b) Zeta potential
c) Streaming potential d) Pressure potential
84. Rock phosphate contains
a) 16 to 18 % P2O5 b) 12 to 16 % P2O5
c) 20 to 22 % P2O5 d) 20 to 40 % P2O5
85. Nitrification inhibitors are most useful in --------- crop to control the nitrification rate
a) Paddy b) Cotton
c) Maize d) Sorghum
86. Soil applied iron (Fe+2) and manganese (Mn+2) to arable crops may not be available to
plants because of
a) Reduction of these ions to insoluble form
b) Oxidation of these ions to insoluble form
c) Reduction of these ions to soluble form
d) Oxidation of these ions to soluble forms
87. In soil particle size analysis, the commonly dispersing agent used is
a) Calcium hydroxide b) Sodium sulphate
c) Sodium chloride d) Sodium hexametaphosphate
88. The erodibility of soil is indicated by
a) Dispersion ratio b) Erosion ratio
c) Clay ratio d) All of the above
89. The slow releasing nitrogenous fertilizer is
a) Calcium ammonium nitrate b) Neem coated urea
c) Ammonium sulphate nitrate d) Ammonium nitrate
90. Acidulation of rock phosphate with sulphuric acid results in the production of single super
phosphate (SSP) which is a physical mixture of
a) Ca (H2PO4)2 and CaCO3 b) Ca (H2PO4)2 and CaSO4
c) Ca (H2PO4)2 and CaCl2 d) Ca (H2PO4)2 and Ca (OH)2
91. In the organic farming, the crop sequence and mixture are designed to
a) Maximize nitrogen fixation
b) Preservation of organic matter
c) Take care of soil living system and cycling of nutrients in soil
d) All of the above
92. For higher efficiency, N-fertilizer should be applied in
a) Single dose at the time of sowing
b) Single dose at the time of tillering
c) Single dose at the time of flowering
d) In three splits, one each at the above growth stages
93. The ratio of dispersion ratio to colloidal moisture equivalent ratio is
a) Erosion index b) Erosion ratio
c) Soil detachability d) Soil erosivity
94. Optimum N: S ratio for good plant growth metabolism in legume plants is

a) 15 - 16:1 b) 22 - 24:1
c) 30 - 35:1 d) 10 - 12:1
[NOTE: For cereals 11 - 12:1]
95. Urea fertilizer is
a) Ammonical fertilizer b) Nitrate fertilizer
c) Amide fertilizer d) Nitrite fertilizer
96. Soil organic matter fraction that is sensitive to management practices is
a) Lignin b) Cellulose
c) Microbial biomass carbon d) Vitamins
97. Manufacturing and use of high analysis fertilizer like urea helps in
a) Reducing the cost of handling and application
b) Reducing the cost of transportation
c) Reducing the cost of storage
d) All of the above
98. The equations, S = f (cl, b, r, p, t…) was first formulated by
a) Dokuchaev b) Jenny
c) Hilgard d) Whitney
 99. Conversion of Ammonical N to nitrate N mineralization process is mediated by
a) Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas species
b) Rhizobium species
c) Azotobacter species
d) Aspergillus species
100. The strength of a soil is positively related to its
a) Bulk density
b) Moisture content
c) Both a and b
d) Viscosity

Regards
Eetela Sathyanarayana
Assistant Professor
Department of Soil Science & Agril. Chemistry
PJTSAU (Hyderabad)
sathaysoil92@gmail.com
Whats app – 9951851961
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