Soil water is mainly found within the pore
spaces of the soil. It competes with air for pore spaces and therefore occupies
the pore spaces not occupied by soil air. It is also found in the spaces
between the mineral grains of the soil.
Soils Academy
The Online Resource Center for Scientific and Technical Information on Soil Science
Organic Matter
Soil organic matter is an important component
of soils; although it constitutes only about 5% of total soil composition of
mineral soils (it could constitute as much as 95% in organic soils like peat,
muck etc). Along with mineral matter, it constitutes the soil solids.
Mineral Matter
Mineral matter is the predominant component
of mineral soils. It constitutes about 45% of total soil composition. It is
made up of a number of particles which vary in size, shape and chemical
composition. These particles range from the microscopic colloidal clays to the coarse
fraction of sand and gravel. In nature, mineral matter exists as a dispersed
phase, implying that it can be separated into the individual particles that
comprise it. Along with soil organic matter, it makes up the solid materials
phase of the soil.
Soil Air
Soil air is an important component of soils.
It occupies those pore spaces not occupied by soil water. Soil air competes
with soil water for the pore spaces in the soil, hence it moves in as water
moves out.
Chemical Weathering
Chemical
weathering is a type of weathering that primarily results in changes to the
chemical composition of rocks and minerals. These chemical changes could also
result in changes to the physical attributes of the weathered products.
Physical Weathering
Physical
weathering is a type of weathering whose major impact is the reduction of
larger rocks and minerals into smaller sized particles. This reduction exposes
a larger surface area of the rocks/minerals to more weathering (both physical
and chemical).
Weathering
Weathering is the group of processes whereby
rocks and mineral, on exposure to weather, change in character, disintegrate,
decompose, and synthesize new compounds. It generally involves two stages or
phases.
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