Which term best describes the measure of soil's response to applied pressure?

The measure of soil's response to applied pressure is referred to as consistency. Consistency indicates how well soil can hold together under stress, how it behaves when manipulated, and its ability to support loads, all of which are critical in assessing soil for engineering and agricultural applications. Consistency encompasses the soil's cohesion and plasticity, determining whether it will remain stable or crumble when pressure is applied.

Porosity deals with the volume of voids or spaces in soil and does not directly relate to how soil responds under pressure. Texture refers to the size distribution of soil particles, such as sand, silt, and clay, and influences drainage and fertility but not directly the behavior under applied pressure. Structure describes how soil particles aggregate together but again does not define the soil's response to pressure. Thus, consistency is the most appropriate term for describing how soil reacts to applied pressure.