SAC 101 Fundamentals of Soil Science (2+1)

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The argon content of soil air is
a. 0.9%
b. 0.94%
c. 0.8%
d. 0.1%
2. The argon content of atmospheric air is
a. 1.5%
b. 0.5%
c. 0.94%
d. 0.02%
3. Most crop plants can grow well in a soil atmosphere with less than…. % O2
a. 15%
b. 10%
c. 21%
d. 30%
4. If the soil air contain oxygen less than…..% restrict crop growth
a. 10
b. 15
c. 25
d. 20
5. Oxygen diffusion rate (ODR) used to determine the……
a. Oxygen concentration in soil pore space
b. CO2 concentration in plants
c. Oxygen concentration in water
d. CH4 concentration in soil
6. ODR unit is
a. g cm-1 min-1
b. g m-2 min-1
 c. g cm-3 min-1
d. g cm-2 min-1
7. Root growth ceased when the ODR dropped to
a. 10g x 108 cm-2 min-1
b. 15g x 108 cm-2 min-1
c. 20g x 108 cm-2 min-1
d. 8g x 108 cm-2 min-1
8. Diffusion co-efficient of oxygen is about ………times that of CO2
a. 0.5
b. 1.25
c. 2.5
d. 3.25
9. The rate of diffusion of O2 and CO2 in air is nearly ………times greater than in water
a. 10000
b. 100000
c. 1000
d. 5000
10. Specific heat of organic matter is
a. 0.12 Cal g-1
b. 0.22 Cal g-1
c. 0.44 Cal g-1
d. 0.5 Cal g-1
11. Specific heat of mineral matter is
a. 0.11 Cal g-1
b. 0.46 Cal g-1
c. 0.24 Cal g-1
d. 0.67 Cal g-1
12. Specific heat of dry soil is
a. 0.3 Cal g-1
b. 0.1 Cal g-1
c. 0.4 Cal g-1
 d. 0.2 Cal g-1
13. Specific heat of water is
a. 1.3 Cal g-1
b. 1.5 Cal g-1
c. 0.8 Cal g-1
d. 1.0 Cal g-1
14. The heat capacity of organic matter is
a. 0.45 Cal cc-1
b. 0.60 Cal cc-1
c. 0.33 Cal cc-1
d. 0.71 Cal cc-1
15. The heat capacity of mineral matter is
a. 0.45 Cal cc-1
b. 0.35 Cal cc-1
c. 0.22 Cal cc-1
d. d) 0.55 Cal cc-1
16. The thermal conductivity of soils expressed in
a. g cc-1
b. dynes cm-1
c. Jo C-1 cm-1 sec-1
d. Jo C-1 cm-2 sec-1
17. The thermal diffusivity of soils expressed in
a. cm3 sec-1
b. cm2 sec-1
c. cc sec-1
d. None of these
18. The activity of micro-organism is lowest when soil temperature is
a. below 5 0C and above 54 0C
b. Above 5 0C and below 54 0C
c. 20 – 50 0C
d. 40 – 55 0C
19. The optimum temperature for the activity of the most micro-organism ranging from
a. 15 – 25 0C
b. 30 – 40 0C
c. 25 – 35 0C
d. 20 - 40 0C
20. ………potential is most important and dominant for most soils
a. Matric potential
b. Solute potential
c. Gravitational potential
d. Osmotic potential
21. The pF values for saturated soil is
a. 5
b. 4.18
c. 4.5
d. 0
22. The pF values at oven dry soil is
a. 4.18
b. 7
c. 4.5
d. 3.2
23. The pF values at field capacity of soil is
a. 4.5
b. 2.53
c. 2.2
d. 1.7
24. The pF values at wilting point of soil is
a. 4.18
b. 4.7
c. 2.8
d. 4.5
25. The pF values at hygroscopic point of soil is
 a. 2.2
b. 6.2
c. 4.8
d. 4.5
26. The water is held in soil at potential greater than -1/3 bar is called as
a. Available water
b. Capillary water
c. Gravitational water
d. Non-hygroscopic water
27. The water retained in the soil at potential of -1/3 to -31 bars is called as
a. Capillary water
b. Hygroscopic water
c. Non-capillary water
d. Superfluous water
28. The water is held by the soil particles at suction of more than -31 bars called as
a. Available water
b. Non-capillary water
c. Hygroscopic water
d. Superfluous water
29. The available water is held in the soil particles
a. Between -1/3 and -15 bars
b. More than -31 bars
c. Between -15 and -31 bars
d. -15 bars
30. The un-available water is held in soil at potential of
a. -1/3 bar
b. -15 bar
c. -31 bar
d. Greater than -15 bar
31. The amount of water is held in soil at less than -15 bar is called as
a. Non-capillary water
 b. Wilting co-efficient
c. Permanent wilting point
d. b and c
32. The moisture is held with soil water potential less than -1/3 bar called as
a. Field capacity
b. Non-capillary water
c. Gravitational water
d. capillary water
33. SPAC expand
a. South Indian Petrochemicals Ltd
b. Soil – Plant Advisory Centre
c. Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Continuum
d. Centre for Soil and Plant Analysis
34. One bar is approximately how much atmosphere
a. 0.5 atmosphere
b. 1.5 atmosphere
c. 1 atmosphere
d. 0.16 atmosphere
35. For measurement of soil moisture in gravimetric methods, drying is done at
a. 60-70 oC
b. 105-110 oC
c. 75 oC
d. 90 oC
36. Electrical conductivity methods are used soil moisture determination where small blocks
are used these blocks are made of
a. Calcium carbonate
b. Gypsum, nylon and fiberglass
c. clay
d. Sodium carbonate
37. Electrical conductivity methods are used to measure moisture percentage
a. From field capacity to wilting percentage
 b. Field capacity
c. Wilting point
d. Hygroscopic co-efficient
38. What is the limitation of electrical conductivity methods during measurement of soil
moisture which interfere
a. High clay content
b. High sand content
c. High humus content
d. High salt content of soil
39. Tensiometers measure soil moisture at
a. Matric potential
b. Osmotic potential
c. Pressure potential
d. Gas potential
40. ……………one of the soil moisture methods used for irrigation scheduling
a. Neutron probe
b. Hydrometer
c. Conductivity methods
d. Tensiometer
41. Tensiometers are used to measure soil moisture up to
a. 10 bars
b. -15 bars
c. 2 bars
d. 0.85 bars
42. In neutron probe soil moisture determination, what are the radioactive sources used for
emitting neutrons
a. Cesium
b. Thorium
c. Radium, amerecium and beryllium
d. Rubidium
43. Saturated flow of soil moisture occurs at water potential of
 a. Less than -1/3 bar
b. Greater than -1/3 bar
c. Greater than 1/3 bar
d. At -15 bar
44. Unsaturated flow of soil water occurs at water potential of
a. Greater than -1/3 bar
b. Greater than 1/3 bar
c. Less than -15 bar
d. Less than -1/3 bar
45. 213. Darcy law is applied in ………………….water flow
a. Unsaturated flow
b. Water vapour
c. Saturated flow
d. Torricelli flow
46. Which ions have high plastic limit when saturated with montmorillonite clay
a. Na
b. Ca
c. K
d. Mg
47. Which clays have highest plasticity
a. Montmorillonite
b. Halloysite
c. Kaolinite
d. Illite
48. Colloidal state refers to
a. Three phase system
b. One phase system
c. Two phase system
d. Four phase system
49. Size of soil colloids are
a. Less than 0.002 mm
 b. More than 2 mm
c. 0.02 - 0.2 mm
d. Less than 0.001 mm
50. Which one behave like polyvalent ions
a. Na+
b. Ca2+
c. Mg2+
d. H+
51. Colloidal particles are moving in
a. Brownian movement
b. Vertical movement
c. Parallel movement
d. Horizontal movement
52. Clay particles carries
a. Positive charge
b. Neutral charge
c. Negative charge
d. Poly charges
53. Flocculation of colloidal particles are caused by
a. Na+
b. Ca2+
c. K+
d. SO42-
54. Dispersion of colloidal particles are caused by
a. K+
b. Mg2+
c. CO3-
d. Na+
55. Soil containing ----------percentage of colloidal clays exhibit plasticity
a. Less than 15%
b. less than 5%
 c. More than 15%
d. 5-10 %
56. Shrinkage and swelling are more pronounced in
a. Kaolinite
b. Illite
c. Zeolite
d. Montmorillonite
57. . Non expanding type of clay minerals is
a. Montmorillonite
b. Kaolinite
c. Smectite
d. Vermiculite
58. 1:1 clay minerals are
a. Kaolinite and halloysite
b. Vermiculite
c. Smectite
d. Illite
59. Partially expanding type of clay mineral is
a. Halloysite
b. Zeolite
c. Vermiculite
d. Montmorillonite
60. Expanding type of clay mineral is
a. Halloysite
b. Illite
c. Montmorillonite
d. Chlorite
61. 2:2 clay mineral is
a. Vermiculite
b. Chlorite
c. Smectite
 d. Illite
62. …………………organic colloids
a. Silicates
b. Humus
c. Iron and aluminium oxides
d. All of these
63. Surface areas of clay particles can be measured using ……….
a. Ammonium bromide
b. Cetyl pyridinium bromide
c. Methyl bromide
d. Hydrogen peroxide
64. Surface area of vermiculite
a. 200 m2 g-1
b. More than 500 m2 g-1
c. 700-800 m2 g-1
d. 300-500 m2 g-1
65. Surface area of amorphous clays
a. 50 m2 g-1
b. 100-500 m2 g-1
c. 10 m2 g-1
d. 1000 m2 g-1
66. Surface area of kaolinite
a. 5-20 m2 g-1
b. 50 m2 g-1
c. 100 m2 g-1
d. 200 m2 g-1
67. Surface area of illite
a. 50 m2 g-1
b. 800 m2 g-1
c. 100-120 m2 g-1
d. 300 m2 g-1
68. Surface area of Montmorillonite
a. 700-800 m2 g-1
b. 300 m2 g-1
c. 500 m2 g-1
d. 100 m2 g-1
69. CEC of Montmorillonite
a. 80-100 Meq 100g-1
b. 150 Meq 100g-1
c. 50 Meq 100g-1
d. 15 Meq 100g-1
70. CEC of kaolinite
a. 25 Meq 100g-1
b. 45 Meq 100g-1
c. 3-15 Meq 100g-1
d. 100 Meq 100g-1
71. CEC of illite
a. 100 Meq 100g-1
b. 300 Meq 100g-1
c. 80 Meq 100g-1
d. 15-40 Meq 100g-1
72. Anion exchange capacity highest in
a. Kaolinite
b. Vermiculite
c. Montmorillonite
d. Illite
73. Shape of Kaolinite
a. Irregular flakes
b. Cylindrical
c. Hexagonal
d. Sphere like
74. Shape of Montmorillonite and Illite
 a. Tubular
b. Cube like
c. Irregular flakes
d. Sphere like
75. C axis of chlorite
a. 12 A0
b. 14 A0
c. 7.2 A0
d. 10 A0
76. C axis of illite
a. 5 A0
b. 18 A0
c. 7.2 A0
d. 10 A0
77. C axis of vermiculite and montmorillonite
a. 14 A0
b. 15 A0
c. 12 A0
d. 6.2 A0
78. C axis of kaolinite
a. 18 A0
b. 4 A0
c. 7.2 A0
d. 12 A0
79. Mechanism of negative charges on silicate clays
a. Isomorphous substitution
b. Anion exchange
c. Exposed crystal edges
d. All of these
80. Why the kaolinite clay mineral is non expanding type
a. Oxygen linkage
 b. Covalent ponding
c. Hydrogen ponding
d. Vander waal force
81. The crystal units of montmorillonite are held loosely together by
a. Covalent ponding
b. Oxygen – oxygen linkage
c. Ionic pond
d. Hydrogen pond
82. The crystal layers of vermiculite are held together by
a. Potassium ions
b. Na+
c. Calcium ions
d. Magnesium ions
83. The lattice layers of illite are held together by
a. Potassium ions
b. Calcium ions
c. Silicon ions
d. Aluminium ions
84. Humus basically composed of
a. Silicon, aluminium and oxygen
b. Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
c. Silicon and hydrogen
d. Nitrogen, sulphur and potassium
85. Inorganic colloids are basically composed of
a. Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
b. Iron and aluminum oxides
c. Calcium and carbonate
d. Silicon, aluminium and oxygen
86. The charges arise from isomorphous substitution is
a. Permanent charge
b. pH independent charge
 c. pH dependent charge
d. a and b only
87. What is the nature of charge on humus colloids
a. pH independent charge
b. pH dependent
c. Neutral charge
d. Poly charge
88. The fractions of humus are
a. Fulvic acid
b. Humic acid
c. Humin
d. All of these
89. The insoluble humus fraction is
a. Humic acid
b. Fulvic acid
c. Citric acid
d. Humin
90. The fulvic acid are soluble in
a. Alkali
b. Acids
c. Water
d. All of these
91. The humic acid are soluble in
a. Water
b. Alkali
c. Acids
d. All of these
92. The colour of fulvic acid is
a. Black
b. Dark
c. Yellow
 d. Dark red
93. The colour of humic acid is
a. Black /dark brown
b. Orange
c. Green
d. White
94. 268. The molecular weight of fulvic acid is
a. 1000000
b. Few hundred – few thousands
c. 10000-200000
d. 50-100
95. The molecular weight of humic acid is
a. 10000-200000
b. More than 300000
c. 2000
d. 5000
96. Elemental composition of humic substances are
a. Si,Al and O
b. Na, K and Ca
c. C,H,N,S and O
d. None of these
97. CEC of vermiculite
a. 200 Meq 100g-1
b. 40 Meq 100g-1
c. 100-150 Meq 100g-1
d. 15 Meq 100g-1
98. CEC of chlorite
a. 10-40 Meq 100g-1
b. 3-15 Meq 100g-1
c. 100 Meq 100g-1
d. 120 Meq 100g-1
99. CEC of halloysite
a. 3-15 Meq 100g-1
b. 8-150 Meq 100g-1
c. 40-50 Meq 100g-1
d. 100-150 Meq 100g-1
100. The Y index for kaolinite minerals
a. 0 - 5
b. 5-10
c. 5-25
d. 10-15
101. The Y index for illite clay minerals
a. More than 25
b. More than 50
c. Less than 5
d. 5-25
102. The Y index for montmorillonite clays
a. 10-20
b. 5-15
c. 25 and above
d. Less than 20
103. ….….. index combine with K2O content, ethylene glycol retention by internal surface
area and CEC of clays
a. X index
b. Y index
c. H index
d. I index
104. External surface area of kaolinite in m2 g-1
a. 20-30
b. 10-15
c. 30-35
d. 25
105. External surface area of illite in m2 g-1
a. 40
b. 70-100
c. 60
d. 150
106. External surface area of montmorillonite in m2 g-1
a. 200
b. 300
c. 500
d. 80-150
107. External surface area of chlorite in m2 g-1
a. 70-100
b. 120
c. 200
d. 15
108. External surface area of vermiculite in m2 g-1
a. 150
b. 120
c. 80-100
d. 45
109. Differential thermal analysis useful for
a. Structural identification
b. Clays minerals identification
c. Size determination
d. Fractionation of clays
110. Differential thermal peaks of kaolinite in 0C
a. 400
b. 900
c. 200
d. 500-550
111. Differential thermal peaks of illite in 0C
 a. 600
b. 550-650
c. 400
d. 700
112. Differential thermal peaks of montmorillonite in 0C
a. 850-900
b. 1000
c. 700
d. 950
113. Differential thermal peaks of vermiculite in 0C
a. 600
b. 1100
c. 900
d. 700-850
114. Differential thermal peaks of chlorite in 0C
a. 900
b. 700
c. 750-800
d. 850
115. Internal surface area of vermiculite in m2 g-1
a. 600
b. 700-800
c. 500
d. 350
116. Internal surface area of kaolinite in m2 g-1
a. 40
b. 18
c. 45
d. 7-10
117. Internal surface area of montmorillonite in m2 g-1
a. 400
 b. 650-
c. 800
d. 500-600
118. Internal surface area of illite in m2 g-1
a. 70-100
b. 150
c. 120
d. 500
119. Internal surface area of chlorite in m2 g-1
a. 90
b. 100
c. 60-80
d. 160
120. X-ray diffraction used for determination of
a. clay minerals identification
b. d spacing
c. Size and composition of clay
d. All of these
121. The laws governing structural characteristics of the phyllosilicates are known as
a. Bragg’s law
b. Moers law
c. Goldschmidt’s law
d. Lamberts law
122. Ionic radius of O2-……nm
a. 0.1
b. 0.14
c. 0.002
d. 0.05
123. Ionic radius of Si4+……nm
a. 0.039
b. 0.045
 c. 0.02
d. 0.60
124. Ionic radius of Al3+……nm
a. 0.04
b. 0.073
c. 0.023
d. 0.051
125. Ionic radius of Fe3+……nm
a. 0.064
b. 0.034
c. 0.065
d. 0.056
126. Ionic radius of Mg2+……nm
a. 0.033
b. 0.045
c. 0.066
d. 0.076
127. Ionic radius of Mn2+……nm
a. 0.04
b. 0.06
c. 0.02
d. 0.08
128. Ionic radius of K+……nm
a. 0.133
b. 0.23
c. 0.12
d. 0.135
129. Ionic radius of Na+……nm
a. 0.14
b. 0.076
c. 0.25
 d. 0.097
130. Ionic radius of Ca2+……nm
a. 0.078
b. 0.099
c. 0.087
d. 0.003
131. Ionic radius of Fe2+……nm
a. 0.087
b. 0.09
c. 0.04
d. 0.074
132. Accumulation of soluble salts in soil called as………
a. Calcification
b. Gypsification
c. Salinization
d. Sodic soil
133. Removal of clay and transport it from upper profile to lower profile called as
a. Lessivage
b. Duripan
c. Gelic
d. Gleization
134. Release of iron from primary minerals and their dispersal as coating on soil particles
or as complexes with organic matter or clay or as discrete aggregates to impart as brown
to red colour to the soil called as ………..pedogenic processes
a. Braunification
b. Rubification
c. Ferruginisation
d. All of these
135. Laterization means
a. Removal of silica
b. Accumulation of sesquioxides
 c. Removal of iron and aluminium oxides
d. a and b only
136. Removal of iron and aluminium oxide and accumulation of silica in soil is the which
pedogenic processes
a. Laterization
b. Ferruginisation
c. Podzolization
d. Gleization
137. Regur formation is a dominant process in which soil
a. Red
b. Black cotton soils
c. Alluvial
d. Saline soil
138. Psychrometer used for determination of
a. CEC
b. Total soil water potential
c. Soil density
d. Salinity
139. Peizometer used for measurement of
a. Height of water level
b. Salt concentration
c. Soil density
d. Soil moisture
140. The down ward movement of water is called as
a. Percolation
b. Hydraulic conductivity
c. Infiltration
d. Permeability
141. The entry of water at soil surface is called as
a. Hydraulic conductivity
b. Permeability
 c. Percolation
d. Infiltration
142. Mass flow of air occurs due to
a. Density
b. Total Pressure gradient
c. Velocity
d. Molecular weight
143. Diffusion of air or gas occur due to
a. Thermal pressure
b. Osmotic pressure
c. Metric potential
d. Partial pressures of the gas
144. The value of diffusion co-efficient in soils is usually between
a. 0.6 and 0.8
b. 1 and 5
c. 0.2 and 0.4
d. 2 and 3