Soil Labs
DETERMINING SOIL TEXTURE BY THREE METHODS
- The Soil Density Method
By Settling Column
By Soil Sieve
- The purpose of this lab activity is to determine the amount of clay, silt, and sand particles in a given soil. Soil class will be determined, based on the USDA soil survey manual.
- Soil bulk density expresses soil weight in terms of total soil space or volume.
DETERMINING SOIL ORGANIC MATTER CONTENT
- By Ignition
- Soil organic matter (SOM) is an extremely important part of any soil because it influences the plant, animal, and microbial life in the soil. The purpose of this activity will be to determine the SOM, as % by mass, in the soil.
- The purpose of this lab activity is to determine the pH of a given soil using three methods. (1) pH meter, (2) Hydrion pH paper, and (3) chemical indicators.
- This activity is designed to determine the capillary action of a soil. Capillary water is the approximate volume of water that is retained following percolation.
- Water-holding capacity is dependent upon the organic matter in the soil and soil particle size. The purpose of this experiment is to determine the water-holding capacity of your soil sample.
