Question

Mention two differences in the alluvial soil of the northern plains and the alluvial soil on the coastal plains of India.

Answer 1

Hint:
The word Alluvial came from the Latin alluvius, from alluere, which means "to wash against") is loose, unconsolidated (not cemented together into a solid rock) soil or sediment which has been eroded, reshaped in some way by water and re-launched in a non-marine environment.

Complete solution:

Alluvium:
- This soil is usually made up of a variety of materials, including fine silt and clay particles and larger sand and gravel particles.
- Alluvial deposit is the kind of loose soil that is deposited or cemented in a lithological unit.

The alluvial soil of the northern plains is different from the alluvial soil on the coastal plains of India in the following ways-

The alluvial soil that is found in the northern plains of India has the following characteristics:

- This is the most prevalent and valuable soil in this region
- Northern plains are made of alluvial mud, and three essential systems of the Himalayan River –the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra.
- These soils also spread across a small corridor in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
- The soil in this region is coarse in texture and light in colour.

The alluvial soil that is found on the coastal plains of India has the following characteristics:

- These types of soil consist of diverse ratios of the clay, sand and silt.
- Dark and fine texture are found in the alluvial soil on the coastal plains
- Coast of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal are the regions where coastal alluvial soils are found.

Note:
- This soil is rich in minerals and nutrients — highly fertile and healthy crop soil.
- Also, it comprises grit, sand and silt.
- The chemical composition of the soil depends on where it is situated.
- The topography of the land will affect what flows into the river that ultimately forms the alluvial soil.