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FACTORS OF SOIL FORMATION - Midlands State University

FACTORS OF SOIL FORMATION - Midlands State University

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FIG. 12.—Triangular presentation of the composition of the Cecil fine sandy loam<br />

profile given in Table 2. Note the accumulation of clay in the B horizon.<br />

For the purpose of interpretation of chemical data, it is advisable<br />

to construct a table of molecular values by dividing the customary<br />

percentage data by the molecular weights. If a soil contains 55.90 per<br />

cent SiO 2 , the molecular value is 55.90/60 = 0.932. Chemists are<br />

determining atomic weights more and more accurately, and this<br />

necessitates endless recalculations of molecular values. Since these<br />

changes are beyond the accuracy of soil and rock analyses, it appears<br />

expedient to use the rounded figures of H. S. Washington that Niggli<br />

(7) advocates for international use.<br />

SiO 2 = 60 TiO 2 =80 S = 32<br />

Al 2 O 3 = 102 P 2 O 5 = 142 Cr 2 O 3 = 152<br />

Fe 2 O 3 = 160 MnO = 71 NiO = 75<br />

FeO = 72 ZrO 2 = 123 CoO = 75<br />

MgO = 40 CO 2 = 44 BaO = 153.5<br />

CaO = 56 SO 3 = 80 SrO = 103.5<br />

Na 2 O = 62 Cl 2 = 71 Li 2 O = 30<br />

K 2 O =94 F 2 = 38<br />

Molecular values offer many advantages. In the first place, we are<br />

not so much interested in the weight changes of the soil constituents<br />

as in changes in their atomic and molecular proportions.<br />

Stoichiometric relationships are more clearly brought out by<br />

molecular data than by weight figures. In the second place, chemistry<br />

has shown that chemical laws assume the simplest form when<br />

expressed in molecular relationships.<br />

In order to reduce the number of items in a table of analyses, two<br />

or more values may be combined into ratios. The following quotients<br />

and symbols are often encountered in soil literature:

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