Soil Components
Soil texture is determined by three components: sand, silt and clay. Varying amounts of these particles influence the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil, and are responsible for how much water the soil can hold.
Hover over/tap on each card below to learn more about the makeup of sand, silt and clay.
Sand
Sand
- Largest soil particle
- 0.05-2 mm in diameter
- Feels gritty to the touch
- Holds very little water
Silt
Silt
- Medium-sized particle
- 0.002-0.05 mm in diameter
- Dry particles feel like flour and wet particles feel smooth
- Holds a moderate amount of water
Clay
Clay
- Smallest soil particle
- <0.002 mm in diameter
- Dry particles feel hard and brittle, and wet particles feel sticky
- Holds much more water than sand and silt
Soils can be classified by the amounts of sand, silt and clay they contain. Next, you’ll go through an interactive guide to learn how to determine soil texture by feel.