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Geophagia. Silica in the soil that has been eaten by a woman shows up as white on this plain X-ray. Geophagia ( / ˌdʒiːəˈfeɪdʒ ( i) ə / ), also known as geophagy ( / dʒiˈɒfədʒi / ), [1] is the intentional [2] practice of eating earth or soil-like substances such as clay, chalk, or termite mounds. It is a behavioural adaptation that ...
Mud is loam, silt or clay mixed with water. It is usually formed after rainfall or near water sources. Ancient mud deposits hardened over geological time to form sedimentary rock such as shale or mudstone (generally called lutites ). When geological deposits of mud are formed in estuaries, the resultant layers are termed bay muds.
Claypan. Claypan is a dense, compact, slowly permeable layer in the subsoil. [1] It has a much higher clay content than the overlying material, from which it is separated by a sharply defined boundary. The dense structure restricts root growth and water infiltration. Therefore, a perched water table might form on top of the claypan. [2]
Soil pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity (alkalinity) of a soil. Soil pH is a key characteristic that can be used to make informative analysis both qualitative and quantitatively regarding soil characteristics. [1] pH is defined as the negative logarithm (base 10) of the activity of hydronium ions ( H+.
Clay is a fine-grained silicate mineral made when rocks break down. Wet clay is soft and can be shaped to make pottery, bricks and other things. When it is shaped and then fired in a kiln to make it hard, it becomes pottery. Clay often contains some water because the water molecules stick to the tiny grains.
The most common engineering classification system for soils in North America is the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS). The USCS has three major classification groups: (1) coarse-grained soils (e.g. sands and gravels ); (2) fine-grained soils (e.g. silts and clays ); and (3) highly organic soils (referred to as "peat").
Soil consolidation refers to the mechanical process by which soil changes volume gradually in response to a change in pressure. This happens because soil is a three-phase material, comprising soil grains and pore fluid, usually groundwater. When soil saturated with water is subjected to an increase in pressure, the high volumetric stiffness of ...
