what is thebdifference between clayey and loamy soil.
Answers
CLAYEY SOIL
Clay particles are the finest of all the soil particles, measuring fewer than 0.002 mm in size. It consists of microscopic and sub-microscopic particles derived from the chemical decomposition of rocks. Clay is a fine grained cohesive soil. They stick together readily and form a sticky or gluey texture when they are wet or dry.Clay is made of over 25 percent clay, and because of the spaces found between clay particles, clay soils hold a high amount of water. Clay expand when in contact with water and shrink when getting dry. Compared to sand particles, which are generally round, clay particles are thin, flat and covered with tiny plates. Organic clay is highly compressible and its strength is very high when dry, which is why it is used in construction as mud mortar.
LOAMY SOIL
Loam is a mixture of clay, sand and silt and benefits from the qualities of these 3 different textures, favouring water retention, air circulation, drainage and fertility. These soils are fertile, easy to work with and provide good drainage. Depending on their predominant composition they can be either sandy or clay loam.The way the other particles combine in the soil makes the loam. For instance, a soil that is 30 per cent clay, 50 per cent sand and 20 per cent silt is a sandy clay loam, with the soil types before “loam” listed in the order their particles are most dominant in the loam. The labels “clay loam,” “silt loam” and “sand loam” are used to refer to soils that are composed predominantly of those ingredients.
If the proportion of fine particles is relatively higher, then it is called clayey soil.
If the amount of large and fine particles is about the same, then the soil is called loamy soil.