In the determination of soil texture, a soil sample was found to be smooth and powdery when dry and formed a cast when wet. That soil is
Answer Details
Based on the description given, the soil sample is likely to be clay. Clay soils are smooth and powdery when dry and become sticky and form a cast when wet due to their high water holding capacity. This texture is the result of the small size of clay particles, which allows them to pack closely together and retain water and nutrients, making it suitable for agriculture. Silt and sand, on the other hand, have larger particles that do not retain water as effectively as clay, and loam is a mixture of sand, silt, and clay.