Which property of soil allows it to be deformed or molded without cracking?

The ability of soil to be deformed or molded without cracking is known as plasticity. This characteristic is significant because it indicates the soil's capacity to undergo shape changes when subjected to mechanical forces, such as those from excavation operations. Soils with high plasticity can be worked without breaking apart, making them more manageable for excavation tasks. This property is particularly important in construction and earthmoving contexts, where maintaining integrity while shaping or relocating soil is crucial.

In contrast, stability pertains to the soil's ability to maintain its structure under load, cohesion involves the attraction between soil particles that affects how they stick together, and granularity refers to the size distribution of soil particles. While these properties also play important roles in soil behavior, they do not specifically describe the soil's ability to be molded without cracking, which is why plasticity is the correct answer.