a plant grows best when ph of soil is 7.2 but the ph of the soil is found to be 5.8 which chemical should be added to the soil to adjust the ph and why?
Answers
Answer:
Explanation:
From the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry...
Soil pH or soil reaction is an indication of the acidity or alkalinity of soil and is measured in pH units. Soil pH is defined as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration. The pH scale goes from 0 to 14 with pH 7 as the neutral point. As the amount of hydrogen ions in the soil increases the soil pH decreases thus becoming more acidic. From pH 7 to 0 the soil is increasingly more acidic and from pH 7 to 14 the soil is increasingly more alkaline or basic.
Descriptive terms commonly associated with certain ranges in soil pH are:
Extremely acid: < than 4.5; lemon=2.5; vinegar=3.0; stomach acid=2.0; soda=2–4
Very strongly acid: 4.5–5.0; beer=4.5–5.0; tomatoes=4.5
Strongly acid: 5.1–5.5; carrots=5.0; asparagus=5.5; boric acid=5.2; cabbage=5.3
Moderately acid: 5.6–6.0; potatoes=5.6
Slightly acid: 6.1–6.5; salmon=6.2; cow's milk=6.5
Neutral: 6.6–7.3; saliva=6.6–7.3; blood=7.3; shrimp=7.0
Slightly alkaline: 7.4–7.8; eggs=7.6–7.8
Moderately alkaline: 7.9–8.4; sea water=8.2; sodium bicarbonate=8.4
Strongly alkaline: 8.5–9.0; borax=9.0
Very strongly alkaline: > than 9.1; milk of magnesia=10.5, ammonia=11.1; lime=12