Ohio Soil Testing Technician Practice

Ohio Soil Testing Technician Practice Exam Questions And Correct Answers (Verified Answers) Plus Rationales 2025|2026 Q&A | Instant Download Pdf

• Which soil property primarily determines water holding capacity?
• Texture
• Color
• Structure
• Temperature
• Texture

Rationale: Soil texture, which refers to the proportion of sand, silt,

and clay, largely controls how much water a soil can retain.

2. The pH scale measures:

• Soil organic matter content
• Soil acidity or alkalinity
• Cation exchange capacity 1 / 4

• Soil compaction
• Soil acidity or alkalinity

Rationale: pH indicates the concentration of hydrogen ions,

reflecting whether the soil is acidic, neutral, or alkaline.

• Which soil texture has the highest drainage rate?
• Clay
• Silt
• Sand
• Loam
• Sand

Rationale: Sandy soils have large pores, which allow water to drain

quickly compared to finer textures like clay.

• What is the main purpose of soil testing?
• Determine soil color
• Assess soil nutrient levels and fertility
• Identify soil organisms
• Measure soil temperature
• Assess soil nutrient levels and fertility

Rationale: Soil testing provides essential data for managing

fertilization and crop productivity.

• Which soil horizon is typically richest in organic matter?
• A

B. B 2 / 4

• C
• R
• A

Rationale: The A horizon, or topsoil, contains the highest

concentration of decomposed organic material.

• Which method is commonly used to collect soil samples for nutrient

analysis?

• Auger sampling
• Trenching
• Excavation
• Surface scraping
• Auger sampling

Rationale: Soil augers allow collection of representative soil cores

from the root zone efficiently.

7. A soil with 40% sand, 40% silt, and 20% clay is classified as:

• Sandy loam
• Loam
• Silty clay
• Clay loam
• Loam

Rationale: Loam is roughly balanced in sand, silt, and clay, providing

good fertility and drainage. 3 / 4

• Which nutrient is a primary macronutrient?
• Zinc
• Nitrogen
• Manganese
• Copper
• Nitrogen

Rationale: Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are primary

macronutrients essential for plant growth.

• What is the main role of cation exchange capacity (CEC) in soil?
• Measure soil pH
• Determine soil color
• Indicate soil’s ability to hold nutrients
• Measure organic matter
• Indicate soil’s ability to hold nutrients

Rationale: CEC reflects the soil's capacity to retain and supply

essential cations to plants.

10. Soil compaction can be reduced by:

• Increasing tillage frequency
• Adding more sand
• Avoiding heavy machinery on wet soils
• Increasing irrigation
• Avoiding heavy machinery on wet soils
• / 4