How big is a soil particle?

Mineral particles in soil vary in size and are classified as sand, silt, or clay. The proportions of these particle sizes determine the soil's texture.

By definition, sand particles have diameters between 2 and 0.063 mm, silt particles range from 0.063 to 0.002 mm, and clay particles are smaller than 0.002 mm. A metaphor may help: if a sand grain were the size of a basketball, a silt particle would be about the size of a table tennis ball, and a clay particle would be as small as a chocolate sprinkle.

Soil texture strongly influences soil behaviour. Sandy soils usually feel gritty and allow water to drain quickly. Clay-rich soils feel smooth or sticky and retain water and nutrients more effectively. Neither is inherently "good" or "bad" — their implications for land management differ greatly.