which soils tend to crack when they dry up?
Answers
The soils that tend to crack when they dry up are the black soil.
They have a high content of mineral known as smectices.
When these get wet, water moves into a s[pace between the structural units that make up the clay mineral.
The presence of water molecules pushes the structural units, and the clay expands.
soil have got various contents which includes
Water
Air
Nutrients
Living organisms.
Soil have particles that are packed together as a result of availability of enough soil water.
When the soil is dry, the particles can no longer be hold together hence cracking of the soil .
When soil cracks it has both advantages and disadvantages.
The cracking of soil increases the air content.
While on the other hand , cracking of soil causes loss of nutrients in the soil.