In consistency of soil, the limits are expressed in terms of:
Try it first: pick an option, then read the explanation.
Correct answer: A. percentage of water content
Detailed Explanation
Soil consistency describes how firm, soft, or workable a soil is — essentially how easily it can be moulded or deformed without breaking apart. All of the named consistency limits (liquid, plastic, shrinkage) share a common unit of measurement.
Why "percentage of water content" Is Correct
Every consistency limit — liquid limit, plastic limit, and shrinkage limit — is expressed as a percentage water content (weight of water relative to weight of dry solids). None of them are expressed in units of time, volume/time, or length.
Key Point
If an option for a consistency-limit question is given in units other than a percentage (time, length, volume/time), it can usually be eliminated immediately.
Key Concepts for Students
- Consistency itself (soft, stiff, hard) is a qualitative firmness description, but the limits that define its boundaries are always quantified as % water content.
- This is why all Atterberg limit calculations (Ip, Is, Ic, IL) reduce to simple arithmetic on percentages.
- The percentage water content basis is what allows consistency limits to be compared directly with the natural water content of a field sample.
- This is a conceptually simple but frequently tested definitional question — don't overthink units-based questions like this.