Answer :
The CEC (cation exchange capacity) of a soil is the measure of its ability to retain and exchange cations, which are positively charged ions. In this case, we are given that the soil contains 23.0 meq (milliequivalents) of CEC.
(a) To determine the CEC in the soil due to the organic matter (SOM), we are given that the soil contains 2% SOM with a CEC of 150 meq. We can calculate the CEC due to organic matter by finding 2% of the total CEC:
CEC due to organic matter = 2% * 150 meq
(b) To determine the CEC in the soil due to the clay fraction, we need to subtract the CEC due to organic matter from the total CEC:
CEC due to clay fraction = Total CEC - CEC due to organic matter
(c) If the clay in this soil is a montmorillonite with a CEC of 80 meq, we can calculate the proportion of clay in the soil by dividing the CEC due to clay fraction by the CEC of montmorillonite clay:
Proportion of clay = CEC due to clay fraction / CEC of montmorillonite clay
By following these steps, we can determine the CEC due to organic matter, the CEC due to the clay fraction, and the proportion of clay in the soil.
Remember to double-check your calculations and ensure the units of measurement are consistent throughout.
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