SOIL PHYSICAL

PROPERTIES
PREPARED BY:
JHON VINCENT CAISIP
Physical Properties

• Physical properties are often the most important

properties for evaluating the suitability of soil for a
particular purpose

can the soil support trees?

is the soil too anaerobic?
can the soil withstand vehicle traffic?
• Characteristics processes or reactions of a soil that are
caused by physical forces and that can be described
by/expressed in, physical terms/equations

These includes:
• Color
• Texture
• Structure
• Bulk density
• Porosity
• Water Holding Capacity
• Consistence
SOIL COLOR
Soil Color

Property that will give

important information about
the soil characteristic.

Reflects an integration of
chemical, biological and
physical transformations and
translocation that occurred
within the soil
Causes of Soil Colors

Three major factors that influence soil colors:

 Organic matter content

 Water content
 Presence and oxidation states of Fe and Mn oxides
Causes of Soil Colors

 Organic matter

• Organic coatings tend to

darken and mask the
brighter colors of the
mineral.
Causes of Soil Colors

Water Content

• Soils are generally darker

when wet than when dry

• Influence of oxygen level, and

there by the rate of OM
accumulation which darken
the soil
Causes of Soil Colors

Presence and oxidation states of Fe and Mn oxides

 Causes of Soil Colors

Other minerals that sometimes

give soils distinctive color are:

Manganese oxide- black

Glauconite- green
Calcite- whitish color
Soluble salts- whitish color
Soil Color Determination

It is determined by comparing
the color of the soil to the
chips in Munsell Color Chart

The Munsell Soil Color

Chart is one of the most
influential color-modeling
systems devised by Albert
Henry Munsell, an American
artist.
Soil Color Determination

Value- expressed as the numerator of the fraction

Chroma- the denominator of the fraction

low chroma have dull colors
high chroma have bright colors

Example: A color of10YR 3/2 (Brownish black)

Hue= 10YR
Value= 3
Chroma= 2
Soil Color and Soil Attributes

Soil Color Soil Attributes

Brown to Black (Surface Accumulation of OM
Horizon)
Black (Subsoil) Accumulation of Mn
Parent material e.g Basalt
Yellow to reddish Ferric
Well aerated soils
Gray, bluish-green Ferrous
Poorly drained soils
White to gray Accumulation of salts
White to gray Parent material: marl, quartz
 Is soil color a good indicator of soil fertility?

Soil color has little direct effect on plant growth but is

an indicator of properties that do (Broome, 2013).

1. Black - High in organic matter but drainage may be

poor

2. Bright red and yellow - well drained with oxidized

iron

3. Gray colors - poorly drained reduced iron.

Soil color can be an indicator of the following:

 As indicator of soil fertility or productivity –

darker soils are generally fertile or productive due
to the amount of OM present and leaching of
nutrients present;

 As indicator of parent material – in young soils

color is indicator of parent material; dark colored
minerals give rise to dark soils; light colored
minerals give rise to light colored soils.
 As indicator of drainage – mottling is an
indication of intermittent reduction and
oxidation of minerals in the soil due to water.

 As indicator of climatic condition – in mature

soil, color is an indicator of the climate in which
they developed; warm climate brings about red
soils; light color is a result of leaching of iron.