What is a distinctive property of till in terms of particle uniformity?

Till is a type of unsorted sediment that is deposited by glacial activity. One of its key characteristics is that it is unstratified, meaning that there is no layering of materials based on size or type as one might find in other sedimentary deposits. This occurs because till is composed of a mixture of rock fragments, silt, sand, and clay, all of which are transported and deposited by glaciers without the sorting that typically occurs in other environments.

The distinctive feature of till being unsorted implies that it contains a wide variety of particle sizes within the same mass. This contrasts with stratified materials, where you might expect to see distinct layers of sediment sorted by grain size (from larger gravel at the bottom to finer silt on top). The absence of stratification and uniform particle sizes in till reflects the chaotic nature of glacial movement and loading.

In contrast, properties such as consistent size and shape, homogeneous consistency, and well-defined stratification do not apply to till, as it is inherently varied and lacks the uniformity that these terms suggest. Understanding this unique characteristic of till is crucial for soil evaluators, especially when assessing soils influenced by glacial processes.