Soil Water

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Total cards: 24•Content version: v4•Public deck•Updated: 8/1/2026

Card preview (24)

Front (Question)

Soil Water

Back (Answer)

Properties of water that give it the ability to influence soil processes.

Front (Question)

Water Polarity

Back (Answer)

Charges are not evenly distributed

Front (Question)

Hydrogen Bonding

Back (Answer)

Water is attracted to itself. Responsible for Cohesion and Adhesion.

Front (Question)

Cohesion (Surface tension)

Back (Answer)

attraction of molecules to each other (water droplets)

Front (Question)

Adhesion

Back (Answer)

attraction of water molecules to solid surface (water drops on a window)

Front (Question)

How do trees take up water?

Back (Answer)

Adhesion and Cohesion

Front (Question)

Capillary Force

Back (Answer)

Due to adhesion and surface tension (cohesion), water will move upwards against the force of gravity. (thanks to soil micropores)

Front (Question)

Do smaller pores (Sand Macropores) have more or less capillary (suction) force?

Back (Answer)

Less

Front (Question)

Do larger pores (Clay Micropores) have more or less capillary (suction) force?

Back (Answer)

#10

Front (Question)

Water is present in soil in what 3 states? (Sponge example)

Back (Answer)

• Saturated soil-gravitational water * Sponge full of water • Field Capacity * Sponge not dripping but still contains water • Permanent wilting point * Sponge is completely dry

#11

Front (Question)

Saturation

Back (Answer)

All pores filled with water-max water retention of a soil Water content is equal to TOTAL porosity Immediately after a rain or irrigation event Water drains easily from macropores under the influence of gravitational forces

#12

Front (Question)

Field Capacity

Back (Answer)

The amount of water a soil can hold against the pull of gravity Occurs when all gravitational water has drained out, typically 1 to 3 days after saturation. Macropores are empty. Micropore are still filled with water and this is plant available water.

#13

Front (Question)

Permanent Wilting Point

Back (Answer)

Occurs after plants have used all plant available water Soils that are fine textures or high in organic matter retain the greatest amount of water

#14

Front (Question)

Macropores

Back (Answer)

Gravitational pull is stronger than suction force so water drains freely

#15

Front (Question)

Micropores

Back (Answer)

Suction forces are greater than gravity so water will be pulled into micropores

#16

Front (Question)

Available Water Equation

Back (Answer)

Field Capacity - Permanent Wilting Point

#17

Front (Question)

Total Macropore Water Equation

Back (Answer)

Saturation - Field Capacity

#18

Front (Question)

Total Micropore Water Equation

Back (Answer)

Field Capacity - Oven Dry

#19

Front (Question)

Total Water Holding Capacity Equation

Back (Answer)

Saturation - Oven Dry

#20

Front (Question)

Can you increase water holding capacity?

Back (Answer)

Yes, with organic matter

#21

Front (Question)

Which soil texture is ideal for gravitational water, field capacity, AND wilting point?

Back (Answer)

Silt Loam * Only available in surface soils in NC

#22

Front (Question)

Why is it bad that Clay can hold the most water?

Back (Answer)

More unavailable water because it’s holding tightly in small micropores. Clays do not have the greatest available water holding capacity

#23

Front (Question)

Capillary movement takes place in which pores?

Back (Answer)

micropores

#24

Front (Question)

True or False: Capillary movement of water occurs due to “suction” force in ciropores

Back (Answer)

True