SOIL LAB PROJECT (quint iii 2016)
“The Dirt Lab”
NAME:
Phase I: Working in your groups run each of your soil samples through the following three tests.
1) Soil texture. As a group, develop a consensus/hypothesis about what soil type each sample is.
Determine the texture of soil samples using the “feel method” as authored by Steve J Thien (refer to
the soil-ribbon flow chart.)
2) Particle size. As a group, develop a consensus/hypothesis about the most and least prevalent
components of each sample. Use sieve sets to determine the % by mass of the following soil
components: coarse gravel, fine gravel, coarse sand, fine sand, silt/clay. Start with 60ml of
(wet/undried) soil per sample.
3) Microscope study. As a group, develop a consensus/hypothesis about what you expect to
observe/record in each sample. Categorize/classify observable characteristics of soil samples (use
only 2.5.ml) as seen with a binocular microscope.
Follow the procedures carefully. Use the format requirements specified on the grading sheet, thus
simulating submitting your work for publication in a scientific journal. NOTE: the lab report format for
this phase is abbreviated. You do not have to rewrite the Procedure.
Phase II: Other labs.
Moisture Content: Develop a method to determine % of mass (of undried soil) that is water.
Water Storage/holding Capacity: Develop a method to determine how much water a specified size of soil
sample (dried soil?) will “store”/hold, use ml H2O/g of soil for units.
Percolation or Permeability: Develop a method to determine how quickly water moves through soil.
Soil Strength: Develop a method to determine how much weight a standardized shape of compacted dry soil
will support before crumbling.
Critical Angle/angle of slope/repose: Develop a method to determine how steep of an angle a pile of your
dried soil will make (see figure 8-2 of your text for an illustration.) Use only 5 ml of dried soil and a test tube
with 1mm graduations along the side.
Sphericity and Roundness: Use the sphericity and roundness chart to determine the sphericity and
roundness of five grains of soil selected at random from a 5 ml sample of your soil, as observed with a
binocular microscope.
Soil Color: Develop a method to determine the color of your soil using standardized color charts.
Soil Density: Develop a method to determine the density of your soil samples using 15 ml of soil.
Clay and silt content: Determine how much of your soil is clay and silt (% by mass) by decanting a shaken
test tube filled with 5 ml of dried soil and water.
Soil Lab:
Phase I
GRADING
SHEET
Soil Lab Phase I
Quint III 2016
Lab Title:
Group Members:
points possible
Soil Texture: categorize soils according to how they feel/what their texture
is.
Hypotheses (one per soil sample):
Results: data table recording ribbon length measurements for all samples,
with units
Discussion (a) -states what you learned (must refer back to results section)
Discussion (b) -conclusion statement (restates hypothesis and…)
Discussion (c) -sources of error, what to do about them, accuracy/precision
Discussion (d) -relates to more than just this lab, extensions, next step(s),
questions that arose,
Particle Size: determine the % by mass of different grain sizes in soil
sample.
Hypotheses (one per soil sample):
Results: data table recording all measurements, with units
Calculations, show all work
Discussion (a) -states what you learned (must refer back to results section)
Discussion (b) -conclusion statement (restates hypothesis and…)
Discussion (c) -sources of error, what to do about them, accuracy/precision
Discussion (d) -relates to more than just this lab, extensions, next step(s),
questions that arose,
Microscope study: use binocular microscopes to classify observable
characteristics of soil samples.
Hypotheses (one per soil sample):
Results: detailed sketches with arrows and labels recording all observations
(min: 4 different labels per sketch)
Magnificaiton for each sketch/sample
Discussion (a) -states what you learned (must refer back to results section)
Discussion (b) -conclusion statement (restates hypothesis and…)
Discussion (c) -sources of error, what to do about them, accuracy/precision
Discussion (d) -relates to more than just this lab, extensions, next step(s),
questions that arose,
Format requirements:
1" margins (R,L, top & bottom), times font
Title Page: title centered/mention characteristic/bold/18 point
Headings: hypothesis, results etc., 12 point, bold, underlined
Text: single spaced, 12 point, paragraph indents of 1"
Other: include page numbers, centered at bottom of page and printed by
printer
Points possible:
comments:
3
6
2
2
2
2
3
12
3
2
2
2
2
3
9
3
2
2
2
2
3
4
4
4
2
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Student
Assessment
Teacher
Assessment