Sol 114 Lecture Unit 1 Lecture 2

Fundamentals o f Soil Science
Course Code: Sol 114

Unit I- Lecture 2
AGNIBHA SINHA
Assistant Professor
Dept. Soil Science & Agril.
Chemistry
School of
Agriculture
What is Soil
Branches of Soil Science
Concept
covered Basic overview
Earth and the earth crust

The unconsolidated cover of the earth, made up
Soil of mineral and organic components, water and
Definition air and capable of supporting plant growth.
The word soil has been derived from Latin word solum, meaning
floor or ground.
 For a soil scientist – Soil,
 For a geologist – A fragmented rock,
 For an engineer – Earth,
 For an economist – Land
Soil science deals with soil considered as a natural body and
as an important medium for crop growth
A study of soil science includes:
Pedology Pedology- The study of geological
material from which soil is derived and
its process of formation.
Soil Chemistry – The study of chemical
Soil Physics components of soil, their interaction with
one another and the effects of the
Scope of chemical environment of the soil.
Soil Science Soil Soil Physics – Study the effects of
physical laws on the evolution of
Chemistry chemical and physical properties of the
soil.
Soil Biology – Study of the effects of
Soil Biology plants, animals and soil microorganisms
on the evolution, chemical composition
and physical condition of the soil.
Concept of
Soil
Pedological Edaphological
The pedological concept On the other hand,

include study of origin of the edhaphology covers the study
soil, its classification and its of soil in relation to growth,
description; (From Greek word nutrition and yield of crops.
pedon, means soil or earth). Edaphology (from Greek word
Pedology is the study of soil edaphos, means soil or
as a natural body and does ground). They are practical
not focus on the soil’s and have the production of
immediate practical use. food and fibre as their ultimate
Composition of the earth’s crust
 The Earth’s crust is principally
composed of mineral matter.
 Made up of various
elements combined together
to form compounds.
 Each element is in combination
with one or more other
elements to form definite
chemical compounds known as
minerals.
 Many of these minerals in
turn combine together to form
aggregates, which we know as
rocks.
 Out of 106 elements knows, 8
are sufficiently abundant as to
constitute about 99 percent by
weight of the Earth’s Crust
(upto 16 Km).
Composition of Earth crust (% by weight)
Non -Metallic Oxygen 46.60 % 74.32% ( 3/4th )
Silica 27.72 %
Metallic Aluminium 8.13 % 1/4th of the total
Iron 5.00 %
Calcium 3.63 %
Sodium 2.83 %
Potassium 2.59 %
Magnesium 2.09 %
Other 1.41 %
Eight elements are abundant – 98.6%

Composition of the earth’s crust
Major Divisions of the Earth’s Sphere
There are 4 spheres
corresponding to the three
states of matter (solid, liquid,
gas) which constitute the earth:
 The solid zone is the
Lithosphere
 The incomplete
covering of water
forming seas and
oceans is the
Hydrosphere
 The gaseous envelop
over the earth’s
surface is the
Atmosphere
 The region on,
above, and below
the Earth's surface
where life exists,
Lithosphere
 Inner most body within

the gaseous and watery
envelops.
 About ¼th of the total
surface of the earth.
The lithosphere consists
of two portions, viz.,
1.The upper or outer cool
solid surface.
2.The inner hot and
molten mass.
 It is the heaviest of the
three spheres.
 Its mean density is 5.5
g cc-1 compared to that
of water as one.
Hydrosphere
 layer of water
surrounding
the
lithosphere.
 It is present in
the form of
seas and
oceans. It
covers 70% of
the earth
leaving only
about 30%
above sea
level.
 The seawater
has a higher  Sea water contains 3.5% salts (minerals)
specific gravity It is least dense at the places where river
than terrestrial enters the sea and very heavy at places
water due to
the salts it where evaporation is high.
contains in
solution. The  Sea water EC – 60000 dS m-1
average
density is
1.026, but it
Atmosphere
The atmosphere is of 320 km
above the lithosphere /
hydrosphere.
Composition of atmospheric air
volume (%) By weight (%)
N2 78.08 76.5
O2 20.9 23.1
CO2 0.033 0.04
Other
0.93 1.36
gases
(H, NH3, H2S, SO2, O3, He, Argon, Neon, Krypton, Xenon)
Biosphere
Interior of the Earth
Crust: 5 to 56 km on the
surface of Earth. Density of
rocks is 2.6 to 3.0 g cc-1
Distance: 5 to 11 km in
oceans and 35 to 56 km in
the continents.
Mantle: A massive solid to

semi solid layer below the
crust; 2900 km in thickness;
comprises mixed metals and
silicate and basic rocks with
density of 3.0 to 4.5 g cc-1.
Core: Innermost portion of

Earth, 3500 km in
thickness, contains molten
metals like Nickel, iron;
average density: 9.0 to
12.0 g cc-1.
Lets see who can answer the question
Edaphology is ?
a) study of origin of the soil, its classification and its description
b) study of soil in relation to growth, nutrition and yield of crops.
c) The study of rocks.
d) None of these
Lets see who can answer the question
Who is called as Father of Soil Science?

a)Dokuchaev b) Liebig
c)Jethro Tull d) Winogradsky
The no of textural classes are .
a) 12
b) 13
c) 14
d) 15
THANK YOU

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Fundamentals o f Soil Science

Course Code: Sol 114

Branches of Soil Science

Earth and the earth crust

The pedological concept On the other hand,

Non -Metallic Oxygen 46.60 % 74.32% ( 3/4th )

Metallic Aluminium 8.13 % 1/4th of the total

Eight elements are abundant – 98.6%

 Inner most body within

Mantle: A massive solid to

Core: Innermost portion of

Who is called as Father of Soil Science?

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