This text provides a fresh look at soil science. The goal is to help students understand the parts that contribute to the whole soil individual and then appreciate how those parts function together. It begins by assembling the parts (solid, liquid and gas phases) of a soil, followed by explaining the interactions among the parts. Subsequently, genesis, classification, and interpretation of soil properties are explained. The “building the pedon”* concept introduced in the first edition is continued in this latest edition.

*Pedon:“3-dimensional body of soil with lateral dimensions large enough to contain all soil properties.”