Silt and clay both are the result of the chemical as well as a physical breakdown of the minerals which are present in the rock. Both silt and clay are classified as fine-grained soils. Here, In this article, you will get to know the difference between silt and clay.
What Is Silt?
Silt is a granular material good night ranges between sand and clay. The size of the silt ranges between 75 microns to 2 microns. It is difficult to mould silty soil into a particular shape because it has less plasticity. Silt has more permeability because of the less density of the particles. Silt has less dry strength.
What Is Clay?
Clay has one of the finest sizes of particles. The clay has the ability to hold water and the size of the clay particle is less than 2 micron.
Clay can be moulded into any desired shape because clay has more plasticity. Clay particles are more closely packed which results in more density so that clay had less permeability. The clay has a larger surface area due to its smaller particle size.
Silt Vs Clay
The difference between silt and clay are as follows.
|
Silt |
Clay |
| The particle size of the silt ranges between 75 microns to 2 microns. | The particle size of the clay is less than 2 microns. |
| Silt has less water holding capacity as compared to clay. | Clay has more water holding capacity. |
| If you touch wet silt by your hand you will feel very smooth. | If you touch clay with your hands it will be sticky. |
| The silt has less surface area as compared to the clay. | The clay particles have a larger surface area because of its very small size. |
| Silt has a uniform and non-sticky particles. | The particles of the clay are sticky in nature. |
| The silt particles have a limited ability to retain the plant nutrients in the soil. | Clay has good retention of plant nutrients in the soil. |
| Silt is difficult to mould into a particular shape. | Clay is very easy to mould into any shape. |
| Silt has a less dry strength. | Clay has greater dry strength as compared to the silt. |
| Silt has more permeability. | Clay has less permeability. |
| Silt has less density because the gap between the silt particles is more. | Clay has more Density because the particles in the clay are very closely packed. |
| The silty soil has less plasticity. | Clay has more plasticity as compared to the silt. |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the main difference between silt and clay in terms of particle size?
The particle size of silt ranges between 75 microns to 2 microns, whereas the particle size of clay is less than 2 microns.
How do silt and clay differ in water holding capacity?
Silt has less water holding capacity compared to clay. Clay can retain more water due to its smaller particle size and higher density.
What is the texture difference between wet silt and clay when touched?
Wet silt feels very smooth to the touch, while clay feels sticky.
Why is silt less permeable than clay?
Silt is actually more permeable than clay. This is because silt particles are less densely packed than clay particles, allowing water to pass through more easily.
Can silt be easily moulded into shapes?
No, silt is difficult to mould into particular shapes due to its lower plasticity. Clay, on the other hand, can be easily moulded because of its higher plasticity.
How do silt and clay compare in terms of dry strength?
Silt has less dry strength compared to clay. Clay has greater dry strength due to its densely packed particles and higher plasticity.
Which soil type has a larger surface area, silt or clay?
Clay particles have a larger surface area compared to silt particles because of their very small size.
How does the ability to retain plant nutrients differ between silt and clay?
Silt has a limited ability to retain plant nutrients in the soil, whereas clay has good retention of plant nutrients due to its larger surface area and higher density.
What is the density difference between silt and clay?
Silt has less density because the particles are more loosely packed. Clay has more density due to its closely packed particles.
Which soil type is more plastic, silt or clay?
Clay is more plastic compared to silt, making it easier to mould into different shapes. Silt has less plasticity and is harder to shape.
