Red Soil Color: The Role of Ferric Oxides
The distinctive red color seen in many countryside soils is primarily due to the presence of specific minerals.
Reason for Red Color
- The key factor is the high content of ferric oxides (iron oxides).
- When iron-rich soil is exposed to air and moisture over time, the iron oxidizes, forming compounds like hematite (Fe 2O 3) and other iron oxides.
- These compounds are essentially rust, giving the soil its characteristic reddish or brownish-red appearance.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect
- Abundance of humus: Humus, decomposed organic matter, typically makes soil dark brown or black.
- Presence of magnesium: While magnesium is a nutrient, it does not cause a red coloration in soils.
- Presence of nitrogen: Nitrogen is a crucial nutrient for plant growth but does not affect soil color in this way.
Therefore, the abundance of ferric oxides is the direct cause of the red color in soils.
Similar Questions
- Which soil is the largest available and the most intensively cultivated soil in India?
- Which among the following is the process of covering the soil/ground to create more favourable conditions for plant growth, development and efficient crop production?
- Which type of soil is mostly found in eastern coast of India?
- In which soil does cotton grow best?
- In dry areas, water from underground comes up through the soil by capillary action and dries quickly, leaving salts behind. These salts form a hard layer called:
- Which of the following statements is correct about black soil?
Which type of soil is most suitable for cotton cultivation in India?
Which soil type, known for retaining moisture, is ideal for cotton cultivation?
- Which of the following plantations helps in the prevention of soil erosion in desert?
- Which of the following soil types is rich in soil nutrients such as calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash and lime?
Important Questions from Soils
Match List 1 with List 2 and choose the correct answer form the code given below:
List 1
(Soil Type)
List 2
(States)
(a) Alluvial
1. Kerala
(b) Red
2. Uttarakhand
(c) Laterite
3. Tamil Nadu
(d) Submontane
4. Uttar Pradesh
Soil contains decayed remains of living organisms. This is called ______.
The black cotton soil of India has been formed due to the weathering of
Fertile riverine alluvial soil is best suited for producing ________.
The agricultural practice followed after preparation of the soil is:
