Free Soil Science MCQs with Answers

377 Soil Science MCQs from Agriculture, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.

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377 questions · page 2 of 19

  • A. Black soils
  • B. River soils
  • C. Marine deposits
  • D. Both B & c

Explanation: Vertisols are dark, clay-rich soils that commonly correspond to black soils or black cotton soils.

Correct answer: Black soils
  • A. Prismatic & Columnar
  • B. Spheroidal or Sphere-like
  • C. Angular blocky Sub-angular blocky
  • D. Platy & Luminar

Explanation: Grassland soils usually develop granular or spheroidal aggregates because dense grass roots and organic matter promote crumb formation.

Correct answer: Spheroidal or Sphere-like
  • A. Cutting trees
  • B. Excessive grazing
  • C. By plantation
  • D. By heavy irrigation

Explanation: Plantation protects soil by reducing the direct impact of raindrops, slowing runoff and binding soil with roots.

Correct answer: By plantation
  • A. Saltation
  • B. Rainsplash erosion
  • C. Sheet erosion
  • D. Rill erosionExplore Farming Tools

Explanation: Saltation is classically a mode of wind erosion in which particles bounce along the surface, whereas rainsplash, sheet and rill erosion…

Correct answer: Saltation
  • A. E
  • B. B
  • C. O
  • D. A

Explanation: Wash-in, or illuviation, is the downward accumulation of materials such as clay, iron and organic matter in the B horizon.

Correct answer: B
  • A. Stone
  • B. Soil
  • C. Silt
  • D. Rock

Explanation: Soil texture is determined by the relative proportions of sand, silt and clay.

Correct answer: Silt
  • A. Soil Salinity
  • B. Soil Pollution
  • C. Soil Quality
  • D. None of theseSoil

Explanation: Soil quality is the soil’s capacity to perform ecological functions sustainably, including supporting plant and animal health.

Correct answer: Soil Quality
  • A. All of the above
  • B. Crops & fodder grown on polluted soil may pass the pollutants on to the consumers
  • C. Soil structure is damaged or polluted soil may no longer grow crops & fodder
  • D. Pollution runs-off into rivers & kills the fish, plant & other aquatic life

Explanation: Soil pollution can contaminate runoff and aquatic life, transfer pollutants through crops and fodder to consumers, and damage soil…

Correct answer: All of the above
  • A. Arsenic & Cadmium
  • B. Both A & B
  • C. Calcium & Magnesium
  • D. Mercury & chromium

Explanation: Arsenic, cadmium, mercury and chromium are toxic inorganic contaminants that can threaten human, animal and plant health.

Correct answer: Both A & B
  • A. Lead
  • B. Fluorine
  • C. All of the above
  • D. Nickle

Explanation: Lead, fluorine and nickel are commonly listed among moderately toxic inorganic soil contaminants in basic environmental-pollution…

Correct answer: All of the above
  • A. None of the aboveSoil
  • B. Neutral rain
  • C. Both A & B
  • D. Acid rain

Explanation: Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides form sulfuric and nitric acids in atmospheric moisture.

Correct answer: Acid rain
  • A. The plant absorbs carbon as carbondioxides directly from the atmosphere.
  • B. All of the above
  • C. Air & water is the source of oxygen & the chief source of soil nitrogen is organic matter & when organic matter decomposes it gives ammonia.
  • D. Water is the source of hydrogen

Explanation: Plants obtain carbon mainly from atmospheric carbon dioxide, hydrogen from water, and oxygen from air and water.

Correct answer: All of the above
  • A. Mg
  • B. N
  • C. P
  • D. None of the above

Explanation: Phosphorus becomes strongly fixed by soil minerals, particularly iron, aluminium and calcium compounds, so it moves very little in soil.

Correct answer: P
  • A. pH decrease, Ec increase
  • B. pH & Ec both increase
  • C. None of these
  • D. pH increase & Ec decrease

Explanation: Leaching a saline-alkaline soil removes soluble salts, so its electrical conductivity decreases; removal of soluble salts also allows…

Correct answer: pH increase & Ec decrease
  • A. Non-symbiotically
  • B. Symbiotically
  • C. Can fix A & B
  • D. None of these

Explanation: Azotobacter is a free-living nitrogen-fixing bacterium that fixes atmospheric nitrogen independently in the soil, without forming root…

Correct answer: Non-symbiotically
  • A. 1:1 clay mineral
  • B. 1:2 clay mineral
  • C. 2:1 clay mineral
  • D. 2:2 clay mineral

Explanation: Potassium fixation is greatest in expanding 2:1 clay minerals, especially illite and vermiculite, where K⁺ becomes trapped between mineral…

Correct answer: 2:1 clay mineral
  • A. Mineralization
  • B. both A & C
  • C. Solubilization
  • D. Immobilization

Explanation: Immobilization is the microbial conversion of inorganic phosphorus into organic forms, temporarily reducing its availability to plants.

Correct answer: Immobilization
  • A. 2
  • B. 4
  • C. 6
  • D. 5Search Public Records

Explanation: Soil colloids are broadly classified into two groups: inorganic colloids, mainly clay minerals and oxides, and organic colloids, chiefly…

Correct answer: 2
  • A. Onsite damages
  • B. Both A & B
  • C. Offsite damages
  • D. None of the above

Explanation: Soil erosion causes onsite damage by removing fertile topsoil and nutrients, while offsite damage includes siltation and water pollution.

Correct answer: Both A & B
  • A. Permanent gullies
  • B. Both A & B
  • C. Ephemeral gullies
  • D. None of these

Explanation: Ephemeral gullies are shallow channels that form repeatedly in natural depressions but can usually be erased by normal tillage.

Correct answer: Ephemeral gullies