apes lab report
December 8, 2013
Soil Analysis Lab Report
Intro:
Soil is produced over hundreds of years through the weathering of rocks and the decomposition of organic material. Soil contains nutrients that are taken from decomposed animals and plants which turn to detritus. Nutrients such as nitrogen are added to the soil in these ways by organisms such as nitrogen fixing bacteria. Soil is important because it is the fuel to the plants that we need in order to survive and for all species to survive. Soil absorbs nutrients and water that plants then use in order to develop, which supports life through the food web.
Purpose:
The purpose of this lab was to be able to understand the importance of differing soil and to be able to determine the type of soil that was given. This would also help in understanding each type of soil and the nutrients and water that it is able to hold.
Method:
Nitrogen, humus, phosphorus, and pH were all tested very similar. For these we used solutions in a small vial and then added scoops of .5g of our soil and then shook the container and waited. For all nutrient tests, it was similar to this. For percolation rate, we used a tube filled
with soil with filter paper at the bottom. When pouring water down the tube, we recorded how much was held in the soil and how much was filtered through the soil and filter paper. For determining what type our soil was, there was a series of steps to follow, holding about 25g of soil in one’s hand.
Results:
Data Table- Confused on what to do
Throughout our experiments with our soil we were able to determine many things as shown above. These results indicate that we had a granular structure. Through this, one would assume that the granular structure would hold more water and air and are more efficient for roots, a desirable trait for many plants. The soil was a dark brown color and moist, assuming that it would be able to hold water well. The texture of the soil was gritty, soft, and squishy. This too
Soil Analysis Lab Report
Intro:
Soil is produced over hundreds of years through the weathering of rocks and the decomposition of organic material. Soil contains nutrients that are taken from decomposed animals and plants which turn to detritus. Nutrients such as nitrogen are added to the soil in these ways by organisms such as nitrogen fixing bacteria. Soil is important because it is the fuel to the plants that we need in order to survive and for all species to survive. Soil absorbs nutrients and water that plants then use in order to develop, which supports life through the food web.
Purpose:
The purpose of this lab was to be able to understand the importance of differing soil and to be able to determine the type of soil that was given. This would also help in understanding each type of soil and the nutrients and water that it is able to hold.
Method:
Nitrogen, humus, phosphorus, and pH were all tested very similar. For these we used solutions in a small vial and then added scoops of .5g of our soil and then shook the container and waited. For all nutrient tests, it was similar to this. For percolation rate, we used a tube filled
with soil with filter paper at the bottom. When pouring water down the tube, we recorded how much was held in the soil and how much was filtered through the soil and filter paper. For determining what type our soil was, there was a series of steps to follow, holding about 25g of soil in one’s hand.
Results:
Data Table- Confused on what to do
Throughout our experiments with our soil we were able to determine many things as shown above. These results indicate that we had a granular structure. Through this, one would assume that the granular structure would hold more water and air and are more efficient for roots, a desirable trait for many plants. The soil was a dark brown color and moist, assuming that it would be able to hold water well. The texture of the soil was gritty, soft, and squishy. This too