Explanation:
1. To determine the soil type using the soil texture triangle, we need to locate the intersection of the percentages of sand, silt, and clay on the triangle, which represents the soil type based on the proportions.
2. Similarly, for the second question, we need to locate the intersection of 50% sand and 30% clay on the soil texture triangle to identify the soil type.
3. Permeability is influenced by soil texture, with sandy soils having higher permeability than clayey soils due to larger pore spaces between sand particles. Therefore, Soil A with 30% sand and 50% clay would have more permeability than Soil B with 45% silt and 50% clay.
4. An ideal soil for an aquifer recharge zone would be sandy soil because of its high permeability, allowing water to infiltrate easily and recharge the aquifer.
5. To prevent the infiltration of pollutants into groundwater, a clayey soil would be ideal due to its low permeability, which restricts the movement of water and pollutants through the soil.
6.
a) To create silt loam soil, you would need a proportion of around 40% silt, 40% sand, and 20% clay.
b) Another proportion for silt loam soil could be 30% silt, 50% sand, and 20% clay.
c) A third proportion for silt loam soil might be 20% silt, 60% sand, and 20% clay.
7. The most likely reason a farmer would add clay to the soil is to improve water retention and increase the soil's ability to hold nutrients due to clay's high porosity and cation exchange capacity.
8. A farmer would add sand to the soil to improve drainage and aeration, especially in clayey soils, as sand increases permeability and reduces compaction.
9. Soil texture influences porosity and permeability, where sandy soils have higher porosity and permeability due to larger particle sizes, while clayey soils have lower porosity and permeability due to smaller particle sizes and compaction. Porosity refers to the amount of pore space in the soil, while permeability is the ability of water to flow through the soil. Sand has high porosity and permeability, clay has low porosity and permeability, and loam soils, like silt loam, have a balance of porosity and permeability due to a mix of sand, silt, and clay particles.
