Lab Instructions
You will need:
- The clay and sand soil samples from your lab kit—soil samples 1 and 2
- One cup of a soil sample from your backyard or neighborhood OR one cup of store-bought potting soil—this will be
soil sample 3 - Spray bottle with water
- Large pitcher of water
- Three Styrofoam cups
- Measuring cup
Procedure:
- Record the color of each of the three soil samples in your lab report form. Also, describe the feel and appearance of each soil.
- Complete the procedure shown in the Texture by Feel handout for each soil sample. Start with enough soil to fill the palm of your hand. Use the water bottle to add water, a drop at a time, until the soil is wet but not dripping water. Continue with the rest of the procedure. Record the texture of each soil in your lab report form.
- With a pencil or pen, make a small hole in the bottom of each Styrofoam cup. The hole should 3 to 5 mm in diameter.
- Fill each cup with a different soil sample.
- Slowly pour water over each cup, while holding the cup over a sink, until the soil is thoroughly wet (the volume of water required to do this will vary depending on your soil). Let the water drain; wait until water stops running out of the bottom of the cup. (If a sample is very clayey, water may not run out of the bottom; in this case, pour water over the soil until it looks completely wet and proceed to the next step.)
- Slowly pour ½ cup of water over each cup, while holding the cup over a sink. Observe and record the differences in how water drains out of the cup for each soil. For example, you might record observations such as "water drained out very quickly," or "the water did not begin to drain until several minutes later and then it only drained out by small drips," or "the water did not drain at all but pooled over the top of the soil," etc.
- Complete the lab report form and answer the analysis questions.
