Vidyalelo
Agriculture · Q787

Soil Science

Graduate and Post Graduate · Agriculture · question 787

Q787

Principle factors governing K fixation in clay lattice are

A.
Ionic radii
B.
Hydration energy
C.
Both A and B
Answer
D.
Lattice morphology

Answer: Option C

Solution

Answer: Option C
Solution:
Principle factors governing K fixation in clay lattice are Both Ionic radii as well as Hydration energy. Potassium ions and other cations are readily fixed because they have relatively low energies of hydration.
Fixation occurs when K is held in highly charged sites in the interlayer region of vermiculite and mica minerals. This differs from exchangeable K which is held at lower charged sites, on the surface and edges of clay minerals.