Name___________________________________________ #________ Date_______________ Hour_______
Center #2: Porosity and Drainage Rate of Soils
Directions: This is an inquiry-based learning lab. You will research a topic, design and conduct an
experiment, and answer post-lab questions.
Part I Research Permeability and Porosity:
1. Use your textbook, the orange textbooks, dictionaries, and the Internet to define permeability and porosity:
permeability:______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
porosity: ________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Part II Permeability of Sediments Inquiry Lab:
1. You are going to use the following materials to complete this lab:
 a scoop of each sediment sample
 the three 250 ml graduated cylinders
 the three funnels
 three pieces of cotton,
 three 100 ml graduated cylinders filled with water
Call the teacher over before you start the actual experiment!
Ask a Question:___________________________________________________________________________
Make a Hypothesis:________________________________________________________________________
Design the Experiment:
Collect and Analyze Data:
Sediment Sample
Amount of water passed
through each sediment
type
CLEAN UP THE PERMEABILITY LAB MATERIALS BEFORE YOU CONTINUE
Part III Porosity of Sediments Inquiry Lab:
1. You are going to use the following materials to complete this lab:
 a scoop of each sediment sample
 the three 250 ml beakers
 three 100 ml graduated cylinders filled with water
Call the teacher over before you start the actual experiment!
Ask a Question:___________________________________________________________________________
Make a Hypothesis:________________________________________________________________________
Design the Experiment:
Collect and Analyze Data:
Sediment Sample
Amount of water held by
each sediment type
CLEAN UP THE POROSITY LAB MATERIALS BEFORE YOU CONTINUE
Part IV Post-Lab Follow-Up Questions: Answer these questions on a separate sheet of looseleaf paper and
staple it to this lab sheet.
1. Which sediment sample had the greatest permeability?
2. Which sediment sample had the greatest porosity?
3. Which substance lets water pass through the fastest, one made up of large particles or small particles?
4. Which substance held the most water, the one made up of large particles or small particles?
5. Does a substance with large particles or small particles have a greater permeability?
6. Does a substance with large particles or small particles have a greater porosity?
7. If your backyard floods every time it rains, describe what type of soil you might have under the grass:
8. An aquifer is an underground layer of soil/rock that contains water. Identify and explain what type of soil
most likely lines the bottom of this layer: