Soil Moisture

Soil Moisture

Data:

2.36g - aluminum tray

32.0g - tray w/soil

29.64g - soil

26.10 - mass after 24 hrs. in drying oven

23.74 - mass of soil after 24hrs. in drying oven

5.9g of water lost

20%water in soil 

Procedure:

 An aluminum tray was made.

The mass of the tray was recorded.

Soil was added to the tray.

The mass of the tray plus the soil was recorded.

The mass of the tray was subtracted from the mass recorded to find the soil mass.

The sample was put in the drying oven for24 hrs.

The mass was then recorded and observations were made.

The mass of the dry soil was subtracted from the mass from the original soil to find the amount of water lost.

Observations:

Before placing soil in the drying oven the soil looked moist and clumpy

After 24hrs in drying oven soil loos dry, clumpy, brittle

Results:

percent water in sample calculated:

((5.9g)\(29.64g))*100= 20%water

Water lost calculation:

29.64g(initial mass) - 23.74g(final mass) = 5.9g of water lost

Compared to the soil texture test our soil sample was very moist. In the moisture test we found a large mass of water in the soil, which directly correlated with the results of the soil texture test. The texture test showed that our soil was sticky with mostly clay and a silty loam. The high amount of moisture in our soil made our soil made our sample clay- like. This compared to the other tests done which also indicated our soil was moist.