Answer :
Final answer:
Silt particles in soil feel smooth and floury, and their texture can be estimated by feeling the soil. Soil texture involves sand, silt, and clay particles, and the feel of the soil can indicate the proportions of each type. Estimating soil texture by feel is a method used to determine soil composition in the absence of lab data.
Explanation:
Silt particles are relatively fine soil particles that feel smooth and floury, neither slick nor sticky when wet. They are so fine that they are best seen with a microscope, and when dry, they retain the imprint when pressed between thumb and finger.
Soil texture refers to the relative proportion of sand, silt, and clay particles in a soil sample, with silt falling between the sizes of sand and clay. By rubbing the soil between your thumb and fingers, you can feel the influence of each particle type, with silt loam feeling quite smooth or floury due to the dominance of silt particles.
Estimating Soil Texture by Feel is a method used by soil scientists to determine soil texture in the field or when lab data is unavailable. By manipulating a moist soil sample, one can estimate the texture based on the feel of smoothness, grittiness, or a combination of both, indicating the presence of sand, silt, or clay.
