Sand is deposited as single touching rigid grains. The
porosity
is the space remaining between the touching grains, and is not reduced significantly by compaction until pressures cause the sand grains to break or to undergo chemical changes such as diagenesis. In diagenesis the sand grains will dissolve and redeposit changing the volume and porosity of the sandstone.
Mud can have 60-80% original porosity, before compaction while sand porosity is normally below 45-50% when originally deposited. The reason mud is so different is that it has an open fabric that can hold water within the mud floccules, which are groups of clay platelets held together by
ionic attraction
(and not gravity). Clay platelets in the mud form a "house of cards" type structure due to the ionic attraction between them and create this open system that can hold more water than mud initially.
Chat with our AI personalities
Mud particles are generally smaller and more capable of rearranging themselves into denser packings during compaction. This results in a higher reduction in volume compared to sands, which have larger and less mobile particles that can't rearrange as easily. Additionally, mud may contain more water, which can be expelled during compaction, contributing to the volume loss.
liquefaction. During liquefaction, the water-saturated soil behaves like a liquid due to increased pore water pressure, resulting in loss of strength and stability. This process can lead to ground failure, settlement, and potential structural damage during an earthquake.
Soil can lose its value through erosion, pollution, compaction, and depletion of nutrients. Erosion can wash away topsoil, which is rich in nutrients necessary for plant growth. Pollution from chemicals or heavy metals can contaminate the soil and render it unsuitable for agriculture. Compaction can reduce soil porosity and water infiltration, affecting plant growth. Depletion of nutrients can occur from overuse or improper farming practices, resulting in poor soil fertility.
Soil can lose its fertility due to erosion, leaching of nutrients, depletion of organic matter, compaction, and contamination with pollutants or chemicals. These factors can reduce soil health and productivity over time.
Liquefaction is likely to occur when the soil is filled with loose, saturated, granular materials such as sands and silts, with high water content. The excess water reduces the friction between soil particles, causing the soil to lose its strength and behave like a liquid during an earthquake or other intense shaking event.
The decrease in volume of the air inside the balloon is due to the decrease in temperature. As the air inside the balloon cools down, its particles lose kinetic energy and move closer together, resulting in a decrease in volume. This phenomenon is described by the ideal gas law, where volume is inversely proportional to temperature when pressure is constant.