Certified Crop Advisor Practice Exam 2026 – Complete Study Resource

The textural classification of soil is determined by the relative proportions of sand, silt, and clay present. In this case, the soil consists of 10 percent clay and 35 percent sand. This leads to a heavier influence of sand within the mix.

To classify soil texture, the USDA soil triangle is often used. According to this triangle, sandy loam is defined as having a sand content greater than that of silt and clay, typically consisting of 20-50% sand, 0-30% clay, and 0-50% silt. With 35 percent sand, this composition falls solidly into the sandy loam category.

The other textural classes listed do not fit the described proportions: clay loam would have a higher clay content, silt loam would include a greater proportion of silt relative to sand, and loamy sand would not contain enough clay to fit the description provided. Therefore, the classification of sandy loam is appropriate and correctly represents the soil's texture based on the given percentages.