Soil physics is the study of

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, water, and organisms that together support the life of plants and soil organisms. Some scientific definitions distinguish dirt from ''soil'' by re ...

's physical properties and processes. It is applied to management and prediction under natural and managed

ecosystems An ecosystem (or ecological system) is a system formed by Organism, organisms in interaction with their Biophysical environment, environment. The Biotic material, biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and en ...

. Soil physics deals with the dynamics of physical soil components and their phases as

solids Solid is a state of matter where molecules are closely packed and can not slide past each other. Solids resist compression, expansion, or external forces that would alter its shape, with the degree to which they are resisted dependent upon the ...

liquids Liquid is a state of matter with a definite volume but no fixed shape. Liquids adapt to the shape of their container and are nearly incompressible, maintaining their volume even under pressure. The density of a liquid is usually close to th ...

, and

gases Gas is a state of matter that has neither a fixed volume nor a fixed shape and is a compressible fluid. A ''pure gas'' is made up of individual atoms (e.g. a noble gas like neon) or molecules of either a single type of atom ( elements such ...

. It draws on the principles of

physics Physics is the scientific study of matter, its Elementary particle, fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge whi ...

physical chemistry Physical chemistry is the study of macroscopic and microscopic phenomena in chemical systems in terms of the principles, practices, and concepts of physics such as motion, energy, force, time, thermodynamics, quantum chemistry, statistical mech ...

engineering Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...

, and

meteorology Meteorology is the scientific study of the Earth's atmosphere and short-term atmospheric phenomena (i.e. weather), with a focus on weather forecasting. It has applications in the military, aviation, energy production, transport, agricultur ...

. Soil physics applies these principles to address practical problems of

agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

ecology Ecology () is the natural science of the relationships among living organisms and their Natural environment, environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community (ecology), community, ecosystem, and biosphere lev ...

, and engineering.

Prominent soil physicists

* Edgar Buckingham (1867–1940) :The theory of gas diffusion in soil and

vadose zone The vadose zone (from the Latin word for "shallow"), also termed the unsaturated zone, is the part of Earth between the land surface and the top of the phreatic zone, the position at which the groundwater (the water in the soil's pores) is at ...

water flow in soil. *Willard Gardner (1883–1964) :First to use porous cups and manometers for capillary potential measurements and accurately predicted the moisture distribution above a water table.Sterling A. Taylor: Willard Gardner, 1883-1964. Soil Science 100(2), 1965. * Lorenzo A. Richards (1904–1993) :General transport of water in unsaturated soil, measurement of soil water potential using

tensiometer Tensiometer may refer to one of a number of devices. The two most common are: * Tensiometer (surface tension) an instrument used to measure the surface tension of liquids * Tensiometer (soil science) an instrument to determine matric water p ...

. * John R. Philip (1927–1999) :Analytical solution to general soil water transport, Environmental Mechanics.

Notes

* Horton, Horn, Bachmann & Peth eds. 2016
Essential Soil Physics
Schweizerbart, * Encyclopedia of Soil Science, edts. Ward Chesworth, 2008, Uniw. of Guelph Canada, Publ. Springer,

External links

*
SSSA Soil Physics Division
{{Physics-footer Soil science

Prominent soil physicists

See also

Notes

External links