DETERMINING SOIL MAKE UP Mini Lab Instructions: Collect two cups of soil. Remove large pieces of...
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DETERMINING SOIL MAKE UP Mini Lab
DETERMINING SOIL MAKE UP Mini Lab Instructions: Collect two cups of soil. Remove large pieces of debris and break up clods. Put the soil in a quart jar
Instructions: Collect two cups of soil. Remove large pieces of
debris and break up clods. Put the soil in a quart jar or similar
container that has a lid. Fill the container with water and add one
teaspoon of dishwashing liquid. Put the lid on tightly and shake
the container. After one minute, measure the depth of sand that
settled on the bottom and record it. After two hours, measure the
depth of silt that settles on top of the sand and record it. After
twenty-four hours, measure the depth of the layer between the silt
and the floating organic matter and record it.
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Data and Observations: After one minute, there was about three
inches of sand. After two hours, there was about two inches of
silt. After twenty-four hours, there was about six inches of the
layer between the silt and the floating organic matter.
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Analysis / Q & A Clay particles are so small that they can
remain suspended in water. Where is the clay in your sample? The
clay in my sample settled below the layer of the organic matter and
right above the silt. However, the clay particles is the least part
of my soil sample. Is sand, silt, or clay the greatest part of your
soil sample? Sand is the greatest part of my soil sample. The sand
had the larger size of particles.