what is the difference in soil,sand,clay?

Answer 1

There are 12 total classifications of soil based on texture. The most prominent are:

Sandy (0.05 mm to 2 mm grain size)
Silty (.002 mm to 0.05 mm grain size)
Clayey (less than 0.002 mm grain size)
Loamy (A mixture of the others)

Sandy soil has larger particles so it has a lot of pore space between the particles causing it to drain a bit too well. It generally doesn't have a lot of nutrients available to plants, and it doesn't hold moisture very well.

Clay soil has very fine particles so it has very little pore space between the particles. Clay doesn't drain very well, and holds moisture too well. Many plants drown in clay soils, although some have adapted and prefer this type of soil. There is generally a lot of nutrients in a clay soil, but many plants, except those who've adapted to this environment, have a hard time absorbing them due to the fine texture of the soil. Clay soils tend to be mucky when wet, and nearly as hard as concrete when dry.

Loam is a good mixture of sand, silt, and clay. It drains well, holds moisture well, and has nutrients that are easily absorbed by plants. This is the ideal type of soil for growing many types of plants including garden and lawn.

If you want to amend sandy, silty, or clay soil, add lots of composted organic material. It helps the sandy soil retain moisture, and helps the clay and silty soils have more pore space.

Answer 2

Soil is the collective term for any sort of dirt. It can be comprised of sand, silt or clay particles in varying portions. Sand is the largest, silt is next and clay is smallest. The percentage of each determines a soil's texture.