Two phase system:

when the voids are only filled with air, or only filled with water then soil becomes a two phase system.
Three phase system:
A soil mass consist of the solid particles and the voids in between them. These voids are filled with air
or/and water. So there is a three phase system.

Two Phase System of Soil (Diagram)

Dry Condition :
This type of condition is also called as 2 phase system of dry soil. In this condition the combination of air
and solid particles takes place.

Generally when the soil mass gets completely dry then the free spaces or voids in between are filled only with air
(gaseous). In this case liquid phase remains absent.
Va =Vv
Here,
Total Weight = Ws
Total Volume = Vs + Va
Saturated Condition :
Now in this 2 phase system of saturated soil the voids are only filled with water.
Vv + Vw
Here,
Total weight = Ws + Ww
Total Volume = Vs + Vw

Three Phase System of Soil (Diagram)

Three Phase System of Soil is nothing but the soil mass made up of solid, liquid and gaseous matter. The
solid particles present are called as soil grains.
The free space or void present between the solid particles is generally filled partially with water and air.
Here liquid phase is generally referred as to water and gaseous phase as to air. Liquid phase fills the void
partly or wholly and gaseous phase fill the voids which are not filled by water.
In general, these three phases are randomly mixed forming a complex soil structure or material. They do
not occupy separate spaces for each phase.
Relative percentage and the arrangements of these materials are responsible for the soil mass properties.
Hence it is very much important to study the volumetric and gravimetric proportions of solids, water and air in
solid mass.

Generally we cannot separate the various phases in soil mass, but for better understanding the behaviour of soil
mass it is necessary to separate them in three phase diagram as shown in below figure.

It is always conventional to write volume on the right side and mass (weight) on the left side of the three phase
diagram.
Three Phase Diagram of Soil:

Total weight , W = Ws + Ww
Total Volume, V = Vs + Vv = Vs + Va + Vw
Here,
W = total weight of soil mass
Wa = weight of air
Ww = weight of water
Ws = weight of soil
V = total soil mass volume
Va = volume of air
Vw = volume of water
Vv = volume of voids
Vs = volume of solids