If a soil particle is retained on the #200 sieve, what type of soil is it likely to be?

When a soil particle is retained on the #200 sieve, it indicates that the particle size is larger than 0.075 mm (the mesh size of the #200 sieve). This positioning suggests that the soil in question is likely to consist of coarse particles, such as sand or gravel.

Particles of clay and silt are smaller than this size, hence they would pass through the #200 sieve and not be retained. The reference to sand or gravel is specifically aligned with the properties of coarse-grained soils that do not retain very fine particles. Additionally, silty sand would typically include silt-sized particles that would also pass through the #200 sieve, leading to their exclusion from consideration if they are retained.

In conclusion, being retained on the #200 sieve correlates with characteristics associated with sand or gravel, making this the most suitable option for describing the kind of soil particle being referred to in the question.