Question

Explain the composition of black soil. State where the soil is found in India

Answer 1

Soil can be defined as the organic and inorganic materials on the surface of the Earth that provides the medium for plant growth".

Soil is a natural body comprised of solids (minerals and organic matter), liquid, and gases that occurs on the land surface, occupies space, and is characterized by one or both of the following: horizons, or layers, that are distinguishable from the initial material as a result of additions, losses, transfers, and transformations of energy and matter or the ability to support rooted plants in a natural environment.

The upper limit of soil is the boundary between soil and air, shallow water, live plants, or plant materials that have not begun to decompose. Areas are not considered to have soil if the surface is permanently covered by water too deep (typically more than 2.5 meters) for the growth of rooted plants.

Answer 2

The black colour is due to the presence of a small proportion of titaniferous magnetite or iron and black constituents of the parent rock.In Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh, the black colour is derived from crystalline schists and basic gneisses.Various tints of the black colour such as deep black, medium black, shallow black , a mixture of red and black may be found in this group of soils.
Distribution of Black Soils

Spread over 46 lakh sq km (16.6 per cent of the total area) across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, parts of Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.