Soil Chemistry, Clay Particles, and Nutrient Uptake

What type of silicate clay has the greatest cation exchange capacity? 

Vermiculite

What size of soil particle exhibits a greater amount of adsorption and microbial colonization than the others? 

Clay

Positively charged ion are called

Cations

Organic (humus) colloids usually unsuitable for making building or road foundations? 

True

How is the Cation Exchange Capacity affected by soil pH? 

It increases with higher pH levels

Isomorphic substitution is the process where

one atom replaces another atom of similar size without disrupting the crystal structure of a clay mineral. 

Silicate clays have an overall ____ charge

Negative

What prevents cations from permanently bonding with clay particles? 

A Hydration Sphere

Nutrients like nitrogen phosphorus and potassium are more easily available for plant uptake when soil pH is more ____.

Alkaline

Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) is an important measurement because it determines the amount of cations available for ________________

plant uptake in the soil.

Most of the nutrients important to plant growth are cations and have a positive charge.

True

The total number of negative colloid charges per unit mass is termed ___________________________

Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)

What type of soils typically have the lowest amount of colloids? 

Sandy soils

Cations or anions are more susceptible to leaching out of the soil than anions. 

Anions

A molecule's ability to hold onto ions is referred to as _____________________.

Chelate or Absorption capacity.

Root systems have a _____________ charge

Negative

Clay particles have a strong __________________ charge

negative

If a nutrient is not attached to a soil particle surface, what is likely to happen to it when it rains?  

It will leach downward in the soil

Which elements would form a stronger chemical bond with a clay particle? 

Calcium

Can anions attach to clay particles? 

no