Science Projects > Earth & Space Projects > Layers of Soil Science Project
Layers of Soil Science Project
What You Need:
small shovel (garden trowel)
sand (sandbox or beach sand is fine)
gravel (or some small pebbles)
a clear jar with a lid
soil worksheet
What You Do:
1. Get an adult’s permission, then dig a small hole in a dirt patch of your yard or garden. Put the first shovel-full (we’ll call this a scoop) of soil into your jar and set the next few scoops aside. Dig one or two more scoops (making the hole a little deeper) and add that soil to the jar. Fill the hole in with the soil you set aside.
2. Put one scoop of sand in the jar. Add half a scoop of small pebbles.
3. Pour in enough water to cover all of the soil and pebbles, then screw the lid on tightly and gently tip the jar back and forth to mix up the contents.
4. Take the lid off and set the jar in a safe place where it will not get bumped or moved and allow it to sit for a full day (24 hours).
5. The next day, take a look at the soil in your jar. Can you see any layers in the jar? Have the pebbles fallen to the bottom? Are there things floating on top of the water?
What Happened:
Adding water and shaking your jar mixed the soil inside the jar, but over time, the soil began to settle into layers. The most dense pieces in the jar fell to the bottom, with some smaller particles of soil between them. Above that you probably noticed most of the soil you dug from your yard. Do you see any changes in the colors of that layer of soil? Can you see dark or light streaks? Those are layers of minerals, clay, and sand. If there was some organic material in your soil that had not been decomposed yet, it’s probably floating on the top of the water. If you were able to drain all of the water out through the bottom of the jar, this is similar to how the horizons of soil on the earth look. Rocks and the most dense soil particles (like clay) are near the bottom with the darker, richer soil near the top, and organic matter (like dead leaves and bugs) at the very top.
Complete your soil study with this worksheet and Science Lesson: Learn About Soil Layers .
Earth & Space Science
Welcome! Read other Earth & Space Science articles or explore the rest of the Resource Center, which consists of hundreds of free science articles!
Shop for Earth & Space Science Supplies!
Home Science Tools offers a wide variety of earth science products and kits. Find earth science products and space educational supplies for labs and classrooms.
Related Articles
Science Fair Projects for 8th Graders
Science Fair Projects for 8th Graders As kids reach the 8th grade, their exposure to science goes up a notch. Equipped with basic knowledge, they can begin to explore more complicated concepts and satisfy their curiosity for deeper answers to the 'whys' and 'hows' of...
Science Fair Projects for 7th Graders
Science Fair Projects for 7th Graders Science fair projects for 7th graders are a step up in complexity. Because 7th graders have a better grasp of science concepts, they’re expected to practice the scientific method in the way they approach their experiments–which...
Home Science Experiments for Preschoolers
Home Science Experiments for Preschoolers Home science experiments for preschoolers are a great way to pique your child’s curiosity, teach them valuable knowledge, and allow them to have some fun in the comfort of their own home. There are plenty of activities your...
Easy Science Fair Projects for Kids
Easy Science Fair Projects for Kids Science fairs are a long-standing tradition that provide kids with the opportunity to better understand practical concepts in fun and innovative ways. The great thing about the experiments presented at these events is that they...
How to Make a Pollinator Hotel
Have you ever wondered how you can help provide habitat for pollinators like honey bees and butterflies in your back yard? Learn how to make a pollinator hotel with this step-by-step guide and lesson. Pollinators are animals that help move pollen. Most pollinators are...
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY
Get project ideas and special offers delivered to your inbox.
Advertisement
Science Projects for Kids: Soil Experiments
Share Content on Facebook
Share Content on LinkedIn
Share Content on Flipboard
Share Content on Reddit
Share Content via Email
Science projects for kids: soil experiments are great educational tools that keep children engaged and teach lasting lessons. Soil experiments teach kids about the environment through active participation.
These soil experiments for kids are inexpensive and easy science projects, perfect for a classroom lesson or summertime fun. Inspire kids to learn more about the earth with these innovative soil experiments.
On the following pages, you'll learn about science projects for kids: soil experiments that make ideal science projects for kids.
Dirt Discovery
Teach kids how to examine different layers of soil with this science project. Dirt Discovery is a soil experiment that teaches kids how to separate layers of earth.
Who Needs Dirt?
This easy science project for kids is both fun and productive. Find out how to grow a sweet potato plant without water in this soil experiment.
Lowdown on Dirt
Get directions for a science experiment that teaches kids how to determine soil quality. Find out about the Lowdown on Dirt, an easy soil experiment.
Look Mom, No Dirt!
Just how many plants can you grow without water? Find out when you perform Look Mom, No Dirt!
Down and Dirty
Learn how to find creatures that live in dirt using lime-water during this soil experiment. Read about this science project for kids.
Dirt Discovery encourages kids to shake it up and learn about soil composition. Make a Dirt Discovery on the next page of science projects for kids: soil experiments.
Looking for more science projects to do with your kids? Try:
Science Projects for Kids: The Moon
Science Projects for Kids: Classifying Plants
Science Projects for Kids: Light and Heat
Dirt Discovery is a science project that teaches kids about soil composition. There's more to dirt than you think! Find out what it's made of.
What You'll Need:
Waterproof table covering
Jar with lid
Pitcher of water
Paper towels
Magnifying glass
How to Conduct the Dirt Discovery Science Project: Step 1: Cover your work surface. Fill a jar halfway with dirt. Add water nearly to the top of the jar. Put the lid on, and tighten it securely.
Step 2: Shake the jar vigorously for a half a minute, and then set it down. Let the jar stand until the dirt and water settle. The soil will settle into layers.
Step 3: Observe the layers in the jar, and see what you can tell about them. How many layers are there? Which layer is made of the biggest particles? Which is made of the smallest? Can you guess why?
Step 4: To further examine the different layers and what they are made of, you can sort out the soil materials and examine them. Use a spoon to skim off the objects floating in the water. Place them on a paper towel.
Step 5: Then carefully pour off the water on the top and scoop out the grains of the next level onto another paper towel. Do the same if there is another level.
Step 6: After each layer has been placed onto towels, they can be examined with the magnifying glass. What else can you tell about the different layers after further examination?
Step 7: You can also do this experiment with dirt you have collected from different areas and compare your findings. Draw pictures of each jar full of soil after you have shaken it and the dirt has settled to make picture comparisons.
Who Needs Dirt? Your kids might be asking this question after you teach them how to grow a sweet potato plant in nothing but water. Read about this science project on the next page of science projects for kids: soil experiments.
Who Needs Dirt? In this science project, you can teach kids to grow a sweet potato plant without soil -- all you'll use are toothpicks and water.
How to find out Who Needs Dirt?
Sweet potato
Step 1: Insert three toothpicks around a sweet potato near the large end so they stick out to the sides in different directions.
Step 2: Fill a glass most of the way with water. Put the sweet potato into the glass small-end first, and rest the toothpicks on the rim so they hold up the sweet potato. There should be enough water in the glass so that about 3/4 of the sweet potato is covered.
Step 3: Put the jar in a sunny spot for several days. Add water as needed. Soon you will have a beautiful vine growing from the top of the potato.
Lowdown on Dirt is a science project that teaches kids to compare different kinds of soil and determine which is better. Read about Lowdown on Dirt on the next page of science projects for kids: soil experiments.
Usually you put a plant into soil to make it grow, but you can grow some plants without soil. When the sweet potato plant was growing with its roots in the water and its leaves in the sun, it produced food through photosynthesis and the stored carbohydrates in the potato. This stored food in the sweet potato provided the energy needed to grow a new plant.
The Lowdown on Dirt is a science project that teaches kids about soil quality. When it comes to supporting plant life, not all dirt is equal.
Garden soil
Small flowerpots with saucers
Tall stakes
Pencil or pen
Paper (graph paper optional)
How to get the Lowdown on Dirt: Step 1: Look in your yard for areas where plants grow poorly. Is the soil trampled and hard? Is the soil soft and loose where plants grow well? Look for sandy or heavy, clay-like soil.
Step 2: Gather samples of different soils and fill a flowerpot with each kind. Label your flowerpots: "Hard, baked soil near the sidewalk," "Loose, fluffy soil from the flower bed," etc.
Step 3: Water the pots, then plant two or three bean seeds in each. Put a stake in each pot for the beans to climb. Keep the pots moist (but not soggy) while the beans sprout.
Step 4: Notice which beans sprout first. Measure the height of the plants every few days until the beans flower. Keep a chart. Which soil was the best?
Look Mom, No Dirt! is a science project that teaches kids to grow plants without soil. Find out how to learn about plant growth on the next page of science projects for kids: soil experiments.
Look Mom, No Dirt! is a science project that teaches kids just how many plants can be grown without dirt. Believe it or not, while most plants in nature grow in soil, it's possible to grow plants without it.
Sphagnum moss
Bean or corn seeds
How to conduct the Look Mom, No Dirt! science project:
Step 1: Put a piece of wire mesh (like a piece of old screen) in the bottom of an empty aquarium. Bend the ends of the mesh so that it makes a shelf that is several inches above the bottom of the aquarium.
Step 2: Mix plant food into some water, and pour the water into the aquarium. The water level should be just below the mesh.
Step 3: Put some sphagnum moss on top of the mesh. Then sprinkle some bean or corn seeds onto the moss, and water them well. Keep the seeds watered. Even though there's no soil, the seeds will sprout and send roots down through the mesh into the water that contains plant food.
Down and Dirty is a science project that teaches kids about all the creatures that live in soil. Read about Down and Dirty on the next page of science projects for kids: soil experiments.
Down and Dirty is a science project that teaches kids about all the creatures that live in the dirt. Soil contains microscopic animals that breathe.
Jar with a lid
Limewater (available at a drugstore)
Small container
How to conduct the Down and Dirty experiment: Step 1: Drop a large handful of garden soil into the bottom of a big, empty jar. Pour some lime-water into a small container. Note what the lime-water looks like.
Step 2: Set the container of lime-water, uncovered, inside the large jar so it rests on top of the soil. Tightly screw on the lid of the large jar, and leave it undisturbed.
Step 3: In 2 or 3 days, look at the lime-water to see if it has changed in any way.
ABOUT THE PROJECT DESIGNERS:
Lowdown on Dirt by Maria Birmingham, Karen E. Bledsoe, and Kelly Milner Halls
The soil contains many microscopic animals. These animals take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide as a waste product, just as you do when you breathe. The lime-water turned a milky color because the carbon dioxide produced by the organisms in the soil combined with the lime-water to produce chalk. Your garden soil may contain bacteria, protozoans, and threadlike worms called nematodes.
Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article:
Thinking Thursday: Soil Experiment Part 1 - Experiment
Did you know that there are different types of soil? You have probably seen a few different types in your lifetime, but have you ever wondered what makes each type different? Today, we are going to learn about the different soil particles and do an experiment to see how much of each particle you have in your soil. Next week, we’ll continue our experiment and learn how to use the results of this experiment to determine what type of soil you have!
Find a helpful video on how to create your soil particle experiment below:
Mason jar with lid (pint or quart size will work well)
Soil (enough to fill about half of your mason jar)
Water (enough to fill your jar)
Instructions
Grab your empty mason jar and fill it about half full with loose soil (don’t pack it in). It’s best to get soil all from the same spot in your yard or garden. For example, I’m using a quart size mason jar, and to fill it half full I will need around four inches of soil in the jar. When I go out to get my soil, I’ll dig a hole about the size of my jar that is four inches deep.
As you put your soil in your jar, make sure you take out any rocks and break up any chunks of soil.
Fill the rest of your jar with water leaving about an inch at the top so you have some shaking room.
Close your mason jar tight, because the next step requires shaking!
Shake your jar vigorously until all of your soil and water is mixed together.
Find a place to let your jar sit undisturbed for several hours (some soils might need up to 24 hours for it to settle).
Sand: The largest soil particle is sand. Because it is the largest, it will sink to the very bottom of your jar and form your lowest layer. Sand is very good for water drainage, but it doesn’t hold water very well. Sand is the soil particle that can heat up and cool down the fastest as well.
Silt: The middle size soil particle is silt. Because of this, it will form a layer on top of your bottom/sand layer in your jar. Silt particles have a good balance of holding and draining water, but they can easily cause runoff or soil erosion.
Clay: The smallest soil particle is clay. Unlike sand and silt that are round, clay is shaped more like plates. Because it is the smallest particle, it will create your top layer in your jar. Clay particles are very good at holding on to water, but they do not drain water very well. Clay is also the soil particle that heats up and cools down the slowest compared to silt and sand.
After your layers settle, you can determine what percentage of each particle you have. Next week, we’ll take our results and use a soil texture triangle to determine what type of soil we have!
You can find part two of the soil experiment .
Thinking Thursday projects will be posted each Thursday (except for holidays) throughout the museum closure for COVID-19. For a full list of previous projects, visit Thinking Thursday .
Questions? Contact Sarah, the museum's education coordinator.
-->
Gilla:
Dela:
Short explanation
Long explanation.
Test with another soil. What is the difference?
What does the mixture look like after one hour, two hours, and so on?
Gilla:
Dela:
Crystal egg geode
Impact craters
Color changing flower
Screaming dry ice
Dry ice in a balloon
Special: Dry ice color change
Dry ice smoking soap bubble snake
Dry ice giant crystal ball bubble
Dry ice in water
Rainbow milk
Gummy bear osmosis
Floating ping pong ball
Rotating Earth
Special: Colored fire
Special: Fire bubbles
Water cycle in a jar
Egg drop challenge
Taking the pulse
Orange candle
Glass bottle xylophone
Warped spacetime
Homemade rainbow
Water implosion
Warm and cold plates
Plastic bag kite
Tamed lightning
Yeast and a balloon
Forever boiling bottle
Moon on a pen
Moon in a box
Inexhaustible bottle
Magic ice cut
Leaf pigments chromatography
Heavy smoke
Popsicle stick bridge
Micrometeorites
Special: Fire tornado
Special: Whoosh bottle
Dancing water marbles
Brownian motion
Flying static ring
Water thermometer
String telephone
Special: Dust explosion
Disappearing styrofoam
Special: Burning money
Special: Burning towel
Salt water purifier
Fish dissection
Hovering soap bubble
Homemade sailboat
Water mass meeting
Plastic bag and pencils
Water sucking bottle
Water sucking glass
Mentos and coke
Aristotle's illusion
Spinning spiral snake
Imploding soda can
Carbon dioxide extuingisher
Plastic bag parachute
Dental impression
Rolling static soda can
Static paper ghost
Upside down glass
Shrinking chip bag
Solar system model
Strawberry DNA
Electric motor
Flashy electric motor
Bouncing soap bubbles
Toilet paper roll maraca
Cloud in a bottle 1
Cloud in a bottle 2
Balloon rocket
Water whistle
Homemade yogurt
Special: Screaming gummy bear
Homemade compass
Trash airplane
Wind-up spinner toy
Tea bag rocket
Balancing soda can
Lung volume test
Fireproof balloon
Baking powder popper
Expanding space
Straw propeller
Wooden cutlery
Levitating match
Human reflexes
Electromagnet
Soil layers
Straw potato
Straw rocket launcher
Traveling flame
Water bowls
Straw duck call
Solar eclipse
Silo of salt
Balloon skewer
Newspaper tower
Microwave light bulb
Heavy paper
Rubber chicken bone
Homemade marble run
Drops on a coin
Cartesian diver
Content of website.
Looking for a Fun and Easy Earth Science Soil Experiment for Kids?
Activities » Science » Looking for a Fun and Easy Earth Science Soil Experiment for Kids?
SHARE THIS POST:
Have you ever wondered what is in the soil around where you live? Do you want to get your kids outside, exploring the natural world and exercising their scientific curiosity? Introducing them to soil science can be an exciting way to do just that! As parents and teachers, we know how important it is for our kids to learn about the earth around them – and there’s no better time than now.
By giving them a fun and easy science experiment to explore basic concepts of soil structure, texture, pH balance, water content, and much more, you can spark their passion for learning in a unique way. Today’s post will show you how with a simple but effective soil experiment geared toward younger minds. So let’s get started!
Where Does Soil Come From?
Soil Facts for Kids
Soil is a mixture of minerals, organic matter, air, water, and living organisms. It forms a layer on the Earth’s surface and plays a vital role in supporting plant growth.
There are different types of soil, such as sandy soil, clay soil, loamy soil, and silt soil. Each type has unique characteristics and affects the way plants grow.
Soil is formed through a process called weathering, where rocks break down into smaller particles over time due to factors like wind, water, temperature changes, and the actions of living organisms.
Soil is essential for growing food. Farmers rely on healthy soil to grow crops, as it provides the necessary nutrients and support for plant growth.
Soil acts as a natural filter. When water passes through soil layers, it helps to purify and clean the water by removing impurities and pollutants.
Soil is teeming with life. It is home to a diverse community of organisms, including earthworms, bacteria, fungi, insects, and small animals. These organisms play vital roles in decomposing organic matter, cycling nutrients, and improving soil health.
Soil erosion is a natural process that can also be accelerated by human activities. When soil erodes, it gets carried away by wind or water, which can lead to land degradation and loss of fertile soil for agriculture.
Soil can vary in color, ranging from red, brown, and black to yellow or even white. The color of soil is influenced by factors such as the minerals present, organic matter content, and climate.
Soil provides a habitat for many organisms. From tiny microorganisms to larger animals like burrowing mammals, soil supports a complex web of life beneath our feet.
Soil is a non-renewable resource. It takes hundreds to thousands of years to form just a few centimeters of topsoil, making it important to conserve and protect the soil for future generations.
Earth Science for Kids – Soil
Here is a simple hands-on activity that will guide you to the answers. This activity is a twist on the Rainbow Jar science experiment that teaches children about density.
The idea is the same but the materials are different. The activity requires being outside, moving your body, getting your hands dirty, observing, and, well, patience. This Soil Science Experiment with Kids is the perfect introduction to botany and gardening for kids.
Social Experiment with Kids
What is soil.
Soil contains sand, silt, and clay. Clay is the smallest mineral component, while sand is the largest. So, the nutrients in sand drain faster than that in clay (and silt). So, plants will rely more on fertilization and watering.
The ideal combination is called loam. Loam contains 20% clay, 24% sand, and 40% silt.
Soil Science Experiment
Materials needed for soil science experiment .
Approach to this Soil Science Experiment
Find dirt from various spots that “look” different
Fill the mason jar halfway with dirt from each of the chosen areas
Fill almost the remainder of the mason jar with water
Label each jar according to the area from which the dirt was obtained
Ask the children to shake each jar
Place in a “special” spot to settle
Visit again in a few days to observe how the dirt has settled
This hands-on soil experiment allows children to explore the properties of different soil types and observe how they interact with water. It promotes scientific inquiry, observation skills, and critical thinking while fostering an understanding of the natural world.
By learning about soil, kids can gain an appreciation for the natural world and understand the importance of taking care of our environment. Exploring soil properties and their impact on plant growth can also be a fun and educational hands-on activity for children.
Learning about Soil Extensions
Discuss density.
Once you and the children have observed the soil and its components. Unless you have the perfect combination as noted above, ask the children what you might do to help the soil get a bit closer to the optimal combination. Talk about compost and manure, and other materials that may help the soil.
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .
British Society of Soil Science
Shake it- shake it all about! Come show us your moves in the name of science! Come shake jars of dirt to solve the puzzle of why soils behave differently in different places. This experiment will introduce all the things soil is made of and how they behave in water. Soil is made up of lots of building blocks that do lots of things… can you guess what will happen?
wE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Let us know what you found with your experiement!
Science Bob
Experiments
Science Fair Ideas
Science Q&A
Research Help
Experiment Blog
more in Experiment Blog
Oobleck – the cornstarch and water experiment.
This may just be the easiest, messiest, and most fun science activity I know. It is a classic, and I have gotten several requests recently to post directions. You should know that if you try this activity and you are not smiling and messy with corn starch goo at the end, then you are definitely doing something wrong. Also keep in mind that this is not just about fun, there is some pretty amazing science going on here.
You will need:
Cornstarch (a 16 oz. box is good for every 2-3 participants – but more is always better)
Food coloring (we always say it’s optional, but it does make it more fun – don’t use too much or you could end up with colored hands…and clothes…and curtains)
A large bowl
A camera – you’re probably going to want to take pictures.
Everyone should roll up their sleeves and prepare for some gooey fun.
This is easy. Pour the cornstarch into the bowl. Don’t rush to add water – take time to feel the cornstarch. Cornstarch does not feel like any other powder. It has a texture that can be compared to that of whipped cream. The grains of cornstarch are so small that they will fill into grooves of your fingerprints and make the prints stand out.
After you’ve taken-in the feel of the powder, it is time to add water. (You should add the food coloring to your water before adding it to the powder.) There are no exact formulas regarding how much water to add, but it will end up being about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of water per cup (235 ml) of cornstarch. The secret is to add the water slowly and mix as you add it. Don’t be shy here – dig in with your hands and really mix it up. This is usually when you notice that this is not your average liquid. Add enough water so that the mixture slowly flows on its own when mixed. The best test is to reach in and grab a handful of the mixture and see if you can roll it into a ball between your hands – if you stop rolling it and it “melts” between your fingers – success!
We’ll get the the science soon, for now just dig in and explore. Notice that the goo does not splash (or even move) if you hit it quickly. Squeeze it hard and see what happens. How long can you get the strands of goo to drip? What happens if you let the goo sit on the table for a minute and then try to pick it up? How does it feel? Hows does it move? Try bouncing a ball on the surface of the cornstarch. You get the idea – explore!
30 minutes later…
So now goo is everywhere and you’re thinking you should probably start cleaning. Actual clean up of the goo is a snap. A bucket of warm water will quickly get it off your hands. It will brush off of clothes when it dries, and it is easily cleaned off surfaces with a wet rag.
Important : Make sure you do not dump the goo down the drain – it can get caught in the drain trap and take the joy out of your day of science. Dump it in the trash, or even mix it into soil in the garden.
Now for the science… Our cornstarch goo (sometimes referred to as “oobleck” from the Dr. Suess book) is what scientists call a “Non-Newtonian” liquid. Basically, Sir Issac Newton stated individual liquids flow at consistent, predictable rates. As you likely discovered, cornstarch goo does NOT follow those rules – it can act almost like a solid, and them flow like a liquid. Technically speaking, the goo is a SUSPENSION, meaning that the grains of starch are not dissolved, they are just suspended and spread out in the water. If you let the goo sit for an while, the cornstarch would settle to the bottom of the bowl.
So why does this concoction act the way it does? Most of it has to do with pressure. The size, shape, and makeup of the cornstarch grains causes the cornstarch to “lock-up” and hold its shape when pressure is applied to it. People have filled small pools with oobleck and they are able to walk across the surface of it (as long as they move quickly.) As soon as they stop walking, they begin to sink.
I hope you get to try this out. Let us know how your day with non-newtonian liquids went. Have fun exploring!
Science Experiments, Experiment Videos, and Science Fair Ideas from Science Bob
Ads (these ads support our free website), share this page.
American Geosciences Institute
K-5 geosource, explore content.
Investigations
Literacy Strategies
Science Fair Project
Education Resources
Profesional resources, education & outreach home, education geosource database, how can you separate a soil mixture.
Teaching and Learning Focus
You can help your students investigate methods of separating soil.
Materials Needed
For each group of four students:
A clear cup of soil sample, dry
A plastic spoon
A small scoop, about ¼ cup capacity
2 tall clear plastic tumblers
Water supply
Paper towels
Safety goggles for all
This investigation is considered generally safe to do with students. However, please review it for your specific setting, materials, students, and conventional safety precautions.
Setting the Scene
Ask students to look at the picture of the soil samples to the left. Ask the students: Do all of these types of soil look alike? In what ways are they the same? Different? How could you separate the different parts of the soil mixture?
Presenting the Investigation Question
After the scene is set, introduce your students to the investigation question: “ How can you separate a soil mixture?”
Tell your students that they will be investigating this question and that at the end of their investigations, they will be able to provide reliable answers.
Have your students brainstorm ideas about how this investigation question could be investigated.
Design an experiment that could be used to test the investigation question.
What materials would be needed?
What would you have to do?
What would be measured?
How long would the experiment take?
Assessing What Your Students Already Know
Your students should be familiar with many types of mixtures, but may not have thought of different ways of separating these except for picking them apart manually (as people do with snack mixes or mixed nuts). They may need your help in coming up with ways of separating their soil mixture.
Exploring the Concept
Give each student group a set of the materials. Ask the groups to come up with a plan for how they can separate their soil mixtures using the tools you have provided. [Some plans they might think of can be: picking apart the soil with forceps; shaking the soil between two tumblers; putting the soil into a tumbler of water or pouring the soil through air.]
Ask student groups to share their plans. Make a list of these plans on the board. Ask students to comment on the plans – which do they think will do the best job of separating the soil mixture and why? When you finish the discussion, ask students to try out their plans. Remind everyone to put on safety goggles first.
Circulate around the groups, helping those who are struggling. Remind students to record their observations as they try to separate the soil sample.
When everyone finishes, ask students to share their results. If your classroom setting allows it, you might want to take the class from group to group to “visit” students as they demonstrate their soil separation methods and explain what they did and why.
Remind students to wash their hands at the end of the investigations.
When everyone has shared his or her results, ask the class: What method seemed to work the best to separate the soil? [Pouring soil into water will result in different layers. More dense particles sink to the bottom, while less dense particles end up on the top.] Which method took the least work? Why was that? [Pouring into water is less work than picking the soil mixture apart by hand. Pouring through air and shaking the sample up really doesn’t separate the particles much.]
Applying Students' Understanding
Have students recall that in the first investigation, they compared soil to sand. Sand, they observed, was made of particles that appeared to be very similar. Use this experience to measure their understanding of separating a soil mixture by asking: “Is sand a mixture?” (No, all of the particles appear to be very much the same.) “What do you think would happen if we tried your separation methods with a sample of sand?” Ask them for the reasoning behind their predictions. (If students understand the concepts behind separation of mixtures, they will predict that sand, with its similar particle sizes, will fail to separate by the soil separating methods.)
Revisiting Investigation Question 2
Complete this investigation by asking your students to reflect on the investigation question and how their answers may have changed as a result of what they have learned. Ask them why they think it’s important to know what is in a soil mixture . [Knowing what’s in soil is important for planting crops, preventing erosion, having water move through soil and supporting structures, among many other things.]
Digging Deeper
It’s important to recognize a common misconception that most of us share about falling objects, whether through air or water:
It seems perfectly natural to us that in air, an object like a bowling ball with its large mass and size falls to the Earth faster than a feather. Both objects are falling toward the Earth’s center because of the pull of gravity. But the explanation for one falling faster than the other is complicated.
It’s hard to believe it, but if both were released from a given height above the surface of the moon, they would reach the surface in exactly the same amount of time! The reason for our very different result on the Earth’s surface is explained by the atmosphere—air—through which they fall. In air, the object that exposes the most surface area contacts the most air. And that contact produces a braking effect called friction . So why don’t a bowling ball and a balloon inflated to the same size reach the Earth at the same time? The mass of the bowling ball gives it momentum to counteract the force of friction to a much greater extent than the mass of the much lighter balloon.
In these investigations, the friction was between the various soil particles and the medium through which they were poured. More dense elements reached the bottom of the container faster than less dense elements. And the effect was more marked in methods that used water because the force of friction is greater between objects and water than between objects and air.
Soil Unit Sections
Introduction
Comparing Soils
Soil as a Mixture
Water and Soil
Chemicals in Soil
What Lives in Soil?
Board of Directors
AGI Connections Newsletter
Nominations
News and Announcements
Membership Benefits
Strategic Plan
Annual Report
Member Societies
Member Society Council
International Associates
Trade Associates
Academic Associates
Regional Associates
Liaison Organizations
Community Documents
Geoscience Calendar
Center for Geoscience & Society
Education & Outreach
Diversity Activities
Policy & Critical Issues
Scholarly Information
Geoscience Profession
Earth Science Week
Publication Store
Glossary of Geology
Earth Science Week Toolkit
I'm a Geoscientist
Free Geoscience Resources
AGI Connections
Be a Visiting Geoscientist
Use Our Workspace
Choose Your
Grade level:.
Read more about holder
Play Fun Soil Games
Have fun while learning more about soil by playing these fun games that we've collected from around the web!
Experiment with Soil
If you're looking for some ideas for a Science Fair, or just looking for something interesting to do - check out these cool soil experiments.
Get Started
Explore Careers
What does a Soil Scientist do? What kinds of careers can you get with a degree in Soil Science? Click here to hear from the scientists themselves.
Home | About Us | All About Soil | Fun with Soil | Soil Experiments | Soil Games | Career Exploration | Soil In Your Community Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
Teach Starter, part of Tes Teach Starter, part of Tes
Search everything in all resources
Water Retention in Soils – Science Experiment
Updated: 12 Oct 2023
Explore the water retention capabilities of sand, silt, loam and clay with this science experiment for kids.
Editable: Google Slides
Non-Editable: PDF
Pages: 2 Pages
Curriculum Curriculum: TEKS
Adobe Reader (pdf) Sign up to Plus
Google Slides Sign up to Plus
Looking for a Water Retention in Soil Experiment?
Are your students learning about the different properties of soil, such as color, texture, filtration and structure? If you are looking for a hands-on science investigation to explore the water retention of different soils, you have come to the right place!
Water retention is exactly what it sounds like: a soil’s ability to retain water. Due to their smaller particle size, some soils retain water very successfully. Other soils with larger particles do not retain very much water at all. By completing this experiment, students will investigate how much water each type of soil (sand, silt, loam and clay) retains.
How to Conduct this Water Retention Experiment
To complete this experiment, each group of students will need:
4 tall graduated cylinders
4 coffee filters
4 clear cups
Samples of each type of soil
Students will need to follow the following steps:
Place a coffee filter inside each funnel.
Place a funnel inside the top of each graduated cylinder.
Fill each coffee filter with the same amount of the different types of soils.
Slowly pour 100 mL of water into each funnel (on top of the soil).
Wait for ten minutes.
Observe and record findings.
Students will record their observations on a recording sheet and answer questions before and after conducting the experiment.
Tips for Differentiation + Scaffolding
If you have a mixture of above- and below-level learners (and we’re sure you do!), check out these suggestions for keeping students on track with the concepts:
Support Struggling Students
For students who may need additional support, consider limiting the number of soils tested in the experiment. Rather than using all four soils, consider only using two.
Challenge Fast Finishers
If there are students looking for a challenge, encourage them to carry out additional testing on the soils to determine more about each soil’s chemical makeup and overall structure.
Download, Print, Teach!
Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to choose between the PDF or editable Google Slides version of this resource.
For sustainability purposes, please consider printing this worksheet double-sided. Alternatively, project the worksheet onto your interactive screen and have the students record the experiment in their notebooks.
This resource was created by Kaitlyn Blevins, a teacher in Georgia and a Teach Starter collaborator.
Click below for more timing-saving resources to use when teaching soil properties to your students!
teaching resource
Soil creation – worksheet.
Integrate reading and science with this 7-question comprehension worksheet about soil.
Label a Soil Profile – Worksheet
Identify and label different layers with this soil profile worksheet.
Properties of Soil Teaching Slides
Explore the properties of sand, silt, loam and clay with this comprehensive set of teaching slides.
Teach Starter Publishing
We create premium quality, downloadable teaching resources for primary/elementary school teachers that make classrooms buzz!
Write a review to help other teachers and parents like yourself. If you'd like to request a change to this resource, or report an error, select the corresponding tab above.
Suggest a Change
Would you like something changed or customised on this resource? While our team makes every effort to complete change suggestions, we can't guarantee that every change will be completed.
Report an Error
Did you spot an error on this resource? Please let us know and we will fix it shortly.
Are you having trouble downloading or viewing this resource? Please try the following steps:
Check that you are logged in to your account
For premium resources, check that you have a paid subscription
Check that you have installed Adobe Reader ( download here )
If you are still having difficulty, please visit the Teach Starter Help Desk or contact us .
You may also like
Earth and Space Science →
Science Inquiry →
Science Experiments →
Inquiry Based Learning Activities →
Earth Science →
4th Grade →
Google Slide →
Water Conservation Foldable
Display different ways to save water with this water conservation foldable.
Water Overuse – Infographic Poster and Worksheet
Explore the overuse of water and its effects on the world’s population with this eye-opening infographic poster and accompanying comprehension worksheet.
Natural and Built Environments Sort Activity
A natural and built environments sort activity.
The Seasons Around the World Posters and Worksheet
A diagram showing the Earth's rotation around the sun and the corresponding seasons in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Tornado in a Jar Worksheet
A science activity that demonstrates some properties and effects of motion.
Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint – Poster and Worksheet
Explore how to reduce your carbon footprint with this poster and accompanying comprehension worksheet.
Four Seasons Spinner Activity - Northern Hemisphere
Spinner resource to consolidate your students' knowledge of the different seasons.
Seasons Sorting Activity
Teach students in K-2 the proper clothing, activities, and objects for different types of weather with this four seasons activity.
My Ecological Footprint - Worksheet
A worksheet for students to evaluate their family's ecological footprint and compare it with the class.
Overfishing – Infographic Poster and Worksheet
Explore overfishing and its effects on marine environments with this eye-opening infographic poster and accompanying comprehension worksheet.
CBSE Class 12
CBSE Class 12 Biology Practical
Collect And Study Soil From At Least Two Different Sites
To study soil samples from two different sites and analyse their properties such as texture, moisture content, water-retaining capacity and pH. Also, the study aims to correlate the plants found in such soil.
Necessary Materials & Apparatus
For this experiment, soil collected from the roadside and garden are to be used. Apart from the soil samples, other required materials are:
Petri dish.
Glass rods.
Test tubes.
Wire gauze.
Filter Paper.
Distilled water.
Mortar and Pestle.
pH paper booklet.
Measuring cylinder.
Universal pH indicator solution.
Tin Box with a perforated bottom.
Weighing scale or Electronic balance.
The following are the steps taken to prepare the soil samples for experiments to analyse various properties.
To study the pH of the Soil Samples
Take the collected roadside soil and garden soil into two different beakers containing water.
Mix the test tubes with the soil solution slowly
Now into a clean and dried two test-tube, arrange a funnel spread covered with a filter paper.
Now gently pour the soil solutions into the test tubes separately.
Let the water to completely filter off from the filter paper.
Take the collected filtrates (soil) into the two different test tubes for testing the pH values.
With the help of a dropper, add a few drops of universal indicator solution to both the test tubes.
Observe the changes.
Observation
When the universal pH indicator is added to the test tube containing the soil solution, the colour changes. These colour changes can be tracked using the pH colour chart. Roadside soil has a pH level of 7 while garden soil has a pH level of 6. Most crops grow between pH levels of 6.0 and 7.0.
To study the texture of Soil Samples
Collect 50 gm of any soil sample in a beaker.
Take a clean and moisture-free measuring cylinder and the collected soil sample into it.
Now pour little water into the same measuring cylinder and shake well.
Keep the apparatus undisturbed for a few minuted and wait for the particles to settle down.
After a while, observe the changes in the measuring cylinder.
The soil particles in the measuring cylinder will start to settle down in layers.
Record the thickness of these layers.
Using a soil textural triangle, draw the corresponding percentage of the soil components (silt, clay & sand). The resultant lines which, intersect indicate the type of soil.
To study the Moisture Content of Soil Samples
Collect two different soil sample in two different crucibles.
Weight the soil samples using a weighing balance.
Make a note of the reading.
Place the two crucibles over the bunsen burner and heat it until it becomes dry.
Now again weigh the soil samples and record the weight of the dry soil samples.
The samples are now ready to be used to determine the moisture content of the soil.
Calculate the two different readings to know the moisture content of soil samples.
The sample where the initial and final weight is the larger indicates a higher moisture content. Lower values mean the moisture content is quite low.
To study the Water Holding Capacity of Soil Samples
Collect a garden soil sample in a beaker.
To a clean and dried mortar pestle add the collected soil sample.
Now slowly grind the soil sample into a fine powder using a pestle.
Place a filter paper at the bottom of the tin box.
Weigh the entire contents of the tin box.
Now, add the powered soil into the tin box.
Use the glass rod to press and tap the box, so that the soil is uniformly layered.
Now, the weight of the tin box is measured and to be recorded.
Next, take two glass rods and place them parallel to each other. Ensure that the distance between the two is not long.
Position the tin on the two glass rods in such a way that the bottom is in contact with the water.
The complete setup should be left undisturbed until the water seeps through the upper surface of the soil.
Now, remove the tin and allow all the water to flow out from the bottom.
Wait until no more water percolates from the tin.
Now wipe the bottom dry and use the weighing machine to note down the weight.
Calculate the two different readings to know the water holding capacity of the given soil samples.
The water holding capacity of the soil is determined by the quantity of water held by the soil sample versus the dry weight of the soil sample.
Explore more biological concepts and other experiments on soil, its profile by registering at BYJU’S.
BIOLOGY Related Links
Leave a Comment Cancel reply
Your Mobile number and Email id will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Request OTP on Voice Call
Post My Comment
Byjus is really very helpful for me Thx u byjus
Thx u byjus it’s really helpful
Register with BYJU'S & Download Free PDFs
Register with byju's & watch live videos.
Cool Science Experiments Headquarters
Making Science Fun, Easy to Teach and Exciting to Learn!
Science Experiments
Mixing Oil & Water Science Experiment
Have you ever heard the saying, “Oil and water don’t mix”? For this easy science experiment, we observe exactly what does happens when we mix oil and water, then we’ll add another item to the mix to see how it changes!
With only a few common kitchen items, kids can explore density and the reaction of adding an emulsifier (dish soap) to the experiment. A printable instruction sheet with a materials list, demonstration video, and a simple scientific explanation are included.
JUMP TO SECTION: Instructions | Video Tutorial | How it Works
Supplies Needed
Glass Jar with a lid (a pint canning jar works great)
1 cup Water
Food Coloring
1 cup Oil (we used vegetable oil)
2 teaspoons Dish Soap
Mixing Oil & Water Science Lab Kit – Only $5
Use our easy Mixing Oil & Water Science Lab Kit to grab your students’ attention without the stress of planning!
It’s everything you need to make science easy for teachers and fun for students — using inexpensive materials you probably already have in your storage closet!
Mixing Oil & Water Science Experiment Instructions
Step 1 – Start by filling the jar with 1 cup of water.
Step 2 – Add a few drops of food coloring to the water and stir until combined. Make some observations about the water. What happened when the food coloring was added? Was it easy to mix the food coloring into the water? Does the food coloring stay mixed with the water? What do you think will happen when we pour the oil into the jar? Write down your hypothesis (prediction) and then follow the steps below.
Step 3 – Next pour 1 cup of oil into the jar. Make a few observations. Does the oil behave the same was as the food coloring did when you added it to the water?
Step 4 – Securely tighten the lid on the jar and shake it for 15-20 seconds.
Step 5 – Set the jar down and watch the jar for a couple of minutes. Observe what happens to the oil and the water and write down your findings. Did the oil and water stay mixed together? Was your hypothesis correct? Do you think there is anything else that can be added to the jar to prevent the oil and water from separating?
Step 6 – Next, take the lid off the jar and squirt in 1-2 teaspoons of dish soap.
Step 7 – Tighten the lid back on the jar and shake again for another 15-20 seconds.
Step 8 – Set the jar down and watch the liquid for a minute or two. Observe what happens to the oil and the water now that the dish soap has been added to the mix. Write down your findings. Did the oil and water stay mixed together this time? Do you know why adding the dish soap preventing the oil and water from separating? Find out the answer in the how does this experiment work section below.
Video Tutorial
How Does the Science Experiment Work
The first thing you will observe is that oil and water will not stay mixed together, no matter how hard you shake the jar. Instead, the oil slowly rises to the top of the water. This is because of the density of the two liquids. Density is a measure of the mass per unit volume of a substance. Water has a density of 1 g/mL (g/cm3). Objects will float in water if their density is less than 1 g/mL. Objects will sink in water if their density is greater than 1 g/mL. The oil is LESS dense than the water. This is because the molecules of oil are larger than the molecules of water, so oil particles take up more space per unit area. As a result, the oil will rise to the top of the water.
The second thing you will observe is that adding dish soap to the mixture changed the results of the experiment. When oil, water and dish soap are mixed together, the oil and water don’t separate like they did when they were the only two items in the jar. This is because of the chemistry of the oil, water and soap molecules.
Oil (and other fats) are made of nonpolar molecules, meaning they cannot dissolve in water. Water is made of polar molecules that can dissolve other polar molecules. Soap is made of molecules that have a hydrophilic (“water-loving”) end and a hydrophobic (“water-fearing”) end. Without soap, water and oil cannot interact because they are unlike molecules. When you add soap to the mixture, the hydrophobic end of the soap molecule breaks up the nonpolar oil molecules, and the hydrophilic end of the soap molecule links up with the polar water molecules. Now that the soap is connecting the fat and water, the non-polar fat molecules can be carried by the polar water molecules. Now the oil and water can be mixed together and stay mixed together!
I hope you enjoyed the experiment. Here are some printable instructions:
Mixing Oil & Water Science Experiment
Glass Jar with a lid (a pint canning jar works great)
Instructions
Start by filling the jar with 1 cup of water.
Add a few drops of food coloring to the water and stir until combined.
Pour 1 cup of Oil into the jar.
Securely tighten the lid on the jar and shake it for 15-20 seconds.
Set the jar down and watch the liquid for a minute or two. Observe what happens to the Oil and the Water.
Next, take the lid off the jar and squirt in 1-2 teaspoons of dish soap.
Tighten the lid back on the jar and shake again for another 15-20 seconds.
Set the jar down and watch the liquid for a minute or two. Observe what happens to the Oil and the Water now that the dish soap has been added to the mix.
Reader Interactions
October 4, 2017 at 11:43 am
Super ….. !
October 6, 2017 at 12:12 pm
Hi ! This gives us really good experiment
November 6, 2017 at 3:40 pm
This was the best science fair project ever
November 14, 2017 at 5:10 pm
December 10, 2017 at 10:38 am
This experiment is fun
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
You are accessing a machine-readable page. In order to be human-readable, please install an RSS reader.
All articles published by MDPI are made immediately available worldwide under an open access license. No special permission is required to reuse all or part of the article published by MDPI, including figures and tables. For articles published under an open access Creative Common CC BY license, any part of the article may be reused without permission provided that the original article is clearly cited. For more information, please refer to https://www.mdpi.com/openaccess .
Feature papers represent the most advanced research with significant potential for high impact in the field. A Feature Paper should be a substantial original Article that involves several techniques or approaches, provides an outlook for future research directions and describes possible research applications.
Feature papers are submitted upon individual invitation or recommendation by the scientific editors and must receive positive feedback from the reviewers.
Editor’s Choice articles are based on recommendations by the scientific editors of MDPI journals from around the world. Editors select a small number of articles recently published in the journal that they believe will be particularly interesting to readers, or important in the respective research area. The aim is to provide a snapshot of some of the most exciting work published in the various research areas of the journal.
Original Submission Date Received: .
Active Journals
Find a Journal
Proceedings Series
For Authors
For Reviewers
For Editors
For Librarians
For Publishers
For Societies
For Conference Organizers
Open Access Policy
Institutional Open Access Program
Special Issues Guidelines
Editorial Process
Research and Publication Ethics
Article Processing Charges
Testimonials
Preprints.org
SciProfiles
Encyclopedia
Article Menu
Subscribe SciFeed
Recommended Articles
Google Scholar
on Google Scholar
Table of Contents
Find support for a specific problem in the support section of our website.
Please let us know what you think of our products and services.
Visit our dedicated information section to learn more about MDPI.
JSmol Viewer
The effects of struvite on biomass and soil phosphorus availability and uptake in chinese cabbage, cowpea, and maize.
1. Introduction
2. materials and methods, 2.1. soil and materials, 2.2. experimental design, 2.3. sample collection and analysis, 2.4. data analysis and statistics, 3.1. crop biomass, 3.2. crop p uptake, 3.3. soil olsen-p and p fractions, 3.4. soil ph and soil phosphatase activity, 4. discussion, 4.1. crop biomass and phosphorus accumulation, 4.2. soil p and p fractions, 4.3. effect of different phosphate fertilizers on soil ph and soil phosphatase activity, 5. conclusions, author contributions, data availability statement, conflicts of interest.
Langhans, C.; Beusen, A.H.W.; Mogollon, J.M.; Bouwman, A.F. Phosphorus for sustainable development goal target of doubling smallholder productivity. Nat. Sustain. 2022 , 5 , 57–63. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Cordell, D.; Neset, T.S.S. Phosphorus vulnerability: A qualitative framework for assessing the vulnerability of national and regional food systems to the multidimensional stressors of phosphorus scarcity. Glob. Environ. Change 2014 , 24 , 108–122. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
MacDonald, G.K.; Bennett, E.M.; Potter, P.A.; Ramankutty, N. Agronomic phosphorus imbalances across the world’s croplands. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2011 , 108 , 3086–3091. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
Yu, X.; Keitel, C.; Dijkstra, F.A. Global analysis of phosphorus fertilizer use efficiency in cereal crops. Glob. Food Secur. Agric. 2021 , 29 , 100545. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Gilbert, N. Environment: The disappearing nutrient. Nature 2009 , 461 , 716–718. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
Sheldrick, W.F.; Lingard, J. The use of nutrient audits to determine nutrient balances in Africa. Food Policy 2004 , 29 , 61–98. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Robles-Aguilar, A.A.; Pang, J.; Postma, J.A.; Schrey, S.D.; Lambers, H.; Jablonowski, N.D. The effect of pH on morphological and physiological root traits of Lupinus angustifolius treated with struvite as a recycled phosphorus source. Plant Soil 2019 , 434 , 65–78. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Carreras-Sempere, M.; Guivernau, M.; Caceres, R.; Biel, C.; Noguerol, J.; Vinas, M.; Pereira, J.L.S. Effect of fertigation with struvite and ammonium nitrate on substrate microbiota and N 2 O emissions in a tomato crop on soilless culture system. Agronomy 2024 , 14 , 119. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Martens, J.R.T.; Entz, M.H.; Schneider, K.D.; Zvomuya, F.; Wilson, H.F. Response of organic grain and forage crops to struvite application in an alkaline soil. Agron. J. 2022 , 114 , 795–810. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Szymanska, M.; Sosulski, T.; Bozetka, A.; Dawidowicz, U.; Was, A.; Szara, E.; Malak-Rawlikowska, A.; Sulewski, P.; van Pruissen, G.W.; Cornelissen, R.L. Evaluating the struvite recovered from anaerobic digestate in a farm bio-refinery as a slow-release fertiliser. Energies 2020 , 13 , 5342. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Arcas-Pilz, V.; Parada, F.; Rufi-Salis, M.; Stringari, G.; Gonzalez, R.; Villalba, G.; Gabarrell, X. Extended use and optimization of struvite in hydroponic cultivation systems. Resour. Conserv. Recy. 2022 , 179 , 106130. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Antonini, S.; Arias, M.A.; Eichert, T.; Clemens, J. Greenhouse evaluation and environmental impact assessment of different urine-derived struvite fertilizers as phosphorus sources for plants. Chemosphere 2012 , 89 , 1202–1210. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
Min, K.J.; Kim, D.; Lee, J.; Lee, K.; Park, K.Y. Characteristics of vegetable crop cultivation and nutrient releasing with struvite as a slow-release fertilizer. Environ. Sci. Pollut. R. 2019 , 26 , 34332–34344. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
Dechassa, N.; Schenk, M.K. Exudation of organic anions by roots of cabbage, carrot, and potato as influenced by environmental factors and plant age. J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sc. 2004 , 167 , 623–629. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Rech, I.; Withers, P.J.A.; Jones, D.L.; Pavinato, P.S. Solubility, diffusion and crop uptake of phosphorus in three different struvites. Sustainability 2019 , 11 , 11010134. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Iqbal, S.; Akhtar, J.; Naz, T.; Riaz, U.; Hussain, S.; Mazhar, Z.; Iqbal, M.M. Root morphological adjustments of crops to improve nutrient use efficiency in limited environments. Commun. Soil Sci. Plan. 2020 , 51 , 2452–2465. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Yu, B.G.; Chen, X.X.; Cao, W.Q.; Liu, Y.M.; Zou, C.Q. Responses in zinc uptake of different mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal crops to varied levels of phosphorus and zinc applications. Front. Plant Sci. 2020 , 11 , 606472. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Alamzeb, M.; Inamullah. Management of phosphorus sources in combination with rhizobium and phosphate solubilizing bacteria improve nodulation, yield and phosphorus uptake in chickpea. Gesunde Pflanz. 2023 , 75 , 549–564. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Ulmer, M.G.; Swenson, L.J.; Patterson, D.D.; Dahnke, W.C. Organic-carbon determination by the Walkley-Black, UDY DYE, and fry combustion methods for sellected North-Dakota soils. Commun. Soil Sci. Plan. 1992 , 23 , 417–429. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Houba, V.J.G.; Temminghoff, E.J.M.; Gaikhorst, G.A.; van Vark, W. Soil analysis procedures using 0.01 M calcium chloride as extraction reagent. Commun. Soil Sci. Plan. 2000 , 31 , 1299–1396. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Johnston, A.E.; Poulton, P.R.; Fixen, P.E.; Curtin, D. Phosphorus: Its Efficient Use in Agriculture. Adv. Agron. 2014 , 123 , 177–228. [ Google Scholar ]
Zharikova, E.A.; Golodnaya, O.M. Available potassium in volcanic soils of Kamchatka. Eurasian Soil Sci. 2009 , 42 , 850–860. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Zhang, Y.; Gao, W.; Luan, H.; Tang, J.; Li, R.; Li, M.; Zhang, H.; Huang, S. Long-term organic substitution management affects soil phosphorus speciation and reduces leaching in greenhouse vegetable production. J. Clean. Prod. 2021 , 327 , 129464. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Tiessen, H.J.W.B. Characterization of available P by sequential extraction. Soil Sampl. Methods Anal. 1993 , 3 , 5–229. [ Google Scholar ]
Hedley, M.J.; Stewart, J.W.B.; Chauhan, B.S. Changes in inorganic and organic soil- phosphorus fractions induced by cultivation practices and by laboratory incubations. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 1982 , 46 , 970–976. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Jamal, A.; Saeed, M.F.F.; Mihoub, A.; Hopkins, B.G.G.; Ahmad, I.; Naeem, A. Integrated use of phosphorus fertilizer and farmyard manure improves wheat productivity by improving soil quality and P availability in calcareous soil under subhumid conditions. Front. Plant Sci. 2023 , 14 , 1034421. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
Hertzberger, A.; Pittelkow, C.M.; Harmel, R.D.; Christianson, L.E. Analysis of the manage drain concentration database to evaluate agricultural management effects on drainage water nutrient concentrations. Trans. Asabe 2019 , 62 , 929–939. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Hertzberger, A.J.; Cusick, R.D.; Margenot, A.J. A review and meta-analysis of the agricultural potential of struvite as a phosphorus fertilizer. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 2020 , 84 , 653–671. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Hertzberger, A.J.; Cusick, R.D.; Margenot, A.J. Maize and soybean response to phosphorus fertilization with blends of struvite and monoammonium phosphate. Plant Soil 2021 , 461 , 547–563. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Wen, G.; Huang, L.; Zhang, X.; Hu, Z. Uptake of nutrients and heavy metals in struvite recovered from a mixed wastewater of human urine and municipal sewage by two vegetables in calcareous soil. Environ. Technol. Inno. 2019 , 15 , 100384. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Ryu, H.D.; Lim, C.S.; Kang, M.K.; Lee, S.I. Evaluation of struvite obtained from semiconductor wastewater as a fertilizer in cultivating Chinese cabbage. J. Hazard. Mater. 2012 , 221 , 248–255. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Cakmak, I.; Hengeler, C.; Marschner, H. Partitioning of shoot and root dry-matter and carbohydrates in bean-plants suffering from phosphorus, potassium and magnesium-deficiency. J. Exp. Bot. 1994 , 45 , 1245–1250. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Kataki, S.; West, H.; Clarke, M.; Baruah, D.C. Phosphorus recovery as struvite: Recent concerns for use of seed, alternative Mg source, nitrogen conservation and fertilizer potential. Resour. Conserv. Recy. 2016 , 107 , 142–156. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Lynch, J.P. Root phenotypes for improved nutrient capture: An underexploited opportunity for global agriculture. New Phytol. 2019 , 223 , 548–564. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Ylagan, S.; Brye, K.R.; Greenlee, L. Corn and soybean response to wastewater-recovered and other common phosphorus fertilizers. Agrosystems Geosci. Environ. 2020 , 3 , 20086. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Wang, Y.-L.; Gao, Z.; Wang, Y.; Zhang, Y.-H.; Zhuang, X.-Y.; Zhang, H. Phosphorus Availability and Transformation as Affected by Repeated Phosphorus Additions in an Ultisol. Commun. Soil Sci. Plan. 2015 , 46 , 1922–1933. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Xiaoying, Z.H.O.N.G.; Xiaorong, Z.H.A.O.; Huajun, B.A.O.; Haohao, L.; Qimei, L. The evaluation of phosphorus leaching risk of 23 Chinese soils. I. Leaching criterion. Acta Ecol. Sin. 2004 , 10 , 2275–2280. [ Google Scholar ]
Heckrath, G.; Brookes, P.C.; Poulton, P.R.; Goulding, K.W.T. Phosphorus leaching from soil containing different phosphorus concentrationds in the broadbalk experiment. J. Environ. Qual. 1995 , 24 , 904–910. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Hesketh, N.; Brookes, P.C. Development of an indicator for risk of phosphorus leaching. J. Environ. Qual. 2000 , 29 , 105–110. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Liao, D.; Zhang, C.; Lambers, H.; Zhang, F. Changes in soil phosphorus fractions in response to long-term phosphate fertilization under sole cropping and intercropping of maize and faba bean on a calcareous soil. Plant Soil 2021 , 463 , 589–600. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Margalef, O.; Sardans, J.; Fernandez-Martinez, M.; Molowny-Horas, R.; Janssens, I.A.; Ciais, P.; Goll, D.; Richter, A.; Obersteiner, M.; Asensio, D.; et al. Global patterns of phosphatase activity in natural soils. Sci. Rep. 2017 , 7 , 1–13. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Thabet, O.B.D.; Gtari, M.; Sghaier, H. Microbial diversity in phosphate rock and phosphogypsum. Waste Biomass Valorization 2017 , 8 , 2473–2483. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
DeForest, J.L.; Smemo, K.A.; Burke, D.J.; Elliott, H.L.; Becker, J.C. Soil microbial responses to elevated phosphorus and pH in acidic temperate deciduous forests. Biogeochemistry 2012 , 109 , 189–202. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Johnson, J.F.; Allan, D.L.; Vance, C.P.; Weiblen, G. Root carbon dioxide fixation by phosphorus-deficient Lupinus albus—Contribution to organic acid exudation by proteoid roots. Plant Physiol. 1996 , 112 , 19–30. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
Mndzebele, B.; Ncube, B.; Fessehazion, M.; Mabhaudhi, T.; Amoo, S.; du Plooy, C.; Venter, S.; Modi, A. Effects of cowpea-amaranth intercropping and fertiliser application on soil phosphatase activities, available soil phosphorus, and crop growth response. Agronomy 2020 , 10 , 79. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Click here to enlarge figure
Treatment
Chinese Cabbage
Cowpea
Maize
CK
0.023
0.069
0.034
struvite
0.020
0.088
0.028
DAP
0.012
0.062
0.044
MIX
0.027
0.076
0.030
The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.
Share and Cite
Sun, L.; Wei, B.; Wu, D.; Sun, K.; Jiao, J.; Zhang, W. The Effects of Struvite on Biomass and Soil Phosphorus Availability and Uptake in Chinese Cabbage, Cowpea, and Maize. Agronomy 2024 , 14 , 1852. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14081852
Sun L, Wei B, Wu D, Sun K, Jiao J, Zhang W. The Effects of Struvite on Biomass and Soil Phosphorus Availability and Uptake in Chinese Cabbage, Cowpea, and Maize. Agronomy . 2024; 14(8):1852. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14081852
Sun, Linglulu, Bingli Wei, Dongxun Wu, Kai Sun, Jiabin Jiao, and Wei Zhang. 2024. "The Effects of Struvite on Biomass and Soil Phosphorus Availability and Uptake in Chinese Cabbage, Cowpea, and Maize" Agronomy 14, no. 8: 1852. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14081852
Article Metrics
Article access statistics, further information, mdpi initiatives, follow mdpi.
Subscribe to receive issue release notifications and newsletters from MDPI journals
2. Put one scoop of sand in the jar. Add half a scoop of small pebbles. 3. Pour in enough water to cover all of the soil and pebbles, then screw the lid on tightly and gently tip the jar back and forth to mix up the contents. 4. Take the lid off and set the jar in a safe place where it will not get bumped or moved and allow it to sit for a full ...
PDF Soil and Water Experiment Student Handout
water changed after mixing with the soil for one hour. Record the difference in the data table in your lab notebook. 16. Repeat steps 9-17, but let the soil and water mix for one day and then two days, instead of one hour. You will need to vigorously shake the sediment tubes every few hours to re-mix the soil and water. Sample (location and ...
Science Projects for Kids: Soil Experiments
How to conduct the Down and Dirty experiment:Step 1: Drop a large handful of garden soil into the bottom of a big, empty jar. Pour some lime-water into a small container. Note what the lime-water looks like. Step 2: Set the container of lime-water, uncovered, inside the large jar so it rests on top of the soil.
The Soil Profile
Welcome to Champak SciQ, where we teach you simple science experiments which you can do it at home. Here are all the things you'd need 1) Some Soil 2) A Tran...
How Dirt Cleans Water
Mix well. To create your three soil containers, cut off and discard the bottoms of three empty water bottles. Turn the tops upside down so they look like elongated funnels. Leave the bottle caps on and let the funnels rest in the glass openings. Fill the funnel part of each soil container with popping corn kernels.
Thinking Thursday: Soil Experiment Part 1
Shake your jar vigorously until all of your soil and water is mixed together. Find a place to let your jar sit undisturbed for several hours (some soils might need up to 24 hours for it to settle). After a while, you will notice layers start to form. These are the different particles that are found in soil!
Soil layers
Gravel is 2.0-63 mm (0.079-2.48 in) large grains, sand is 0.063-2.0 mm (0.0025-0.079 in) large grains, silt is 0.002-0.063 mm (0.000079-0.0025 in) large grains and clay is anything smaller than this. However, soil rarely only contains rocks but also a lot of other things. There are bacteria, viruses, insects, dead plant parts, water, air and ...
Soil Experiments
Soil Experiments and Hands-on Projects. Use grape Kool-Aid to learn how "Soil is a Filter" and how important soil is for clean drinking water. Soil Texture Lesson and Activity - Developed by SSSA, this lesson and activity introduces the concept of soil texture and particles sizes and contains an activity on Soil Texture (from New Mexico State ...
Experiment with Soil Science Projects
Scientific Method. Interested in helping the environment, and don't mind getting dirty? In this project you get to mix it up with earthworms, soil, and various types of organic kitchen scraps. The basic idea is to set up small earthworm colonies to compost different types of food waste. You test the soils in each type to see how diet affects ...
Simple Soil Science Experiment with Kids
Approach to this Soil Science Experiment. Find dirt from various spots that "look" different. Fill the mason jar halfway with dirt from each of the chosen areas. Fill almost the remainder of the mason jar with water. Label each jar according to the area from which the dirt was obtained. Ask the children to shake each jar.
Jam Jar Experiment
Soil Explorers - Jam Jar Experiment. Shake it- shake it all about! Come show us your moves in the name of science! Come shake jars of dirt to solve the puzzle of why soils behave differently in different places. This experiment will introduce all the things soil is made of and how they behave in water.
Soil Types and Water Filtration Experiment
In this experiment, we're going to find out how quickly water drains through three different types of soil: one heavy with sand, a potting soil, and soil hea...
Mixing Soil and Water LET'S SETTLE THIS
In this activity, students will perform an experiment to simulate sediment deposition in still water. They will examine the settling of sediment from two different types of soil; sandy soil and potting soil. After mixing each type of soil with water in clear bottles, students will investigate how sediment particles settle.
Walking Water Experiment with Worksheets
Fill 4 of the plastic cups 2/3 full with water. Add one color of food coloring to each of four cups - red, yellow, green blue - and stir well. Make sure you have added enough food coloring to make dark, rich colors. Fold 8 paper towels lengthwise so they resemble long strips. Place the four cups on your work surface, then place an empty cup ...
Oobleck
Pour the cornstarch into the bowl. Don't rush to add water - take time to feel the cornstarch. Cornstarch does not feel like any other powder. It has a texture that can be compared to that of whipped cream. The grains of cornstarch are so small that they will fill into grooves of your fingerprints and make the prints stand out.
How can you separate a soil mixture?
Give each student group a set of the materials. Ask the groups to come up with a plan for how they can separate their soil mixtures using the tools you have provided. [Some plans they might think of can be: picking apart the soil with forceps; shaking the soil between two tumblers; putting the soil into a tumbler of water or pouring the soil ...
Home
Click here to hear from the scientists themselves. Learn More. Contact Us / About Us. 5585 Guilford Road. Madison, WI 53711-5801. Phone: 608-273-8080 | Fax: 608-273-2021. Click here to learn more about SSSA….
Types of Soil
In this video, we will discuss the 3 types of soil and their properties. We will also do a basic experiment of water flow and absorption in each type of soil...
Water Retention in Soils
Students will need to follow the following steps: Place a coffee filter inside each funnel. Place a funnel inside the top of each graduated cylinder. Fill each coffee filter with the same amount of the different types of soils. Slowly pour 100 mL of water into each funnel (on top of the soil). Wait for ten minutes.
An experiment To Study Soil From Two Different Places- BYJU'S
Take the collected roadside soil and garden soil into two different beakers containing water. Mix the test tubes with the soil solution slowly. Now into a clean and dried two test-tube, arrange a funnel spread covered with a filter paper. Now gently pour the soil solutions into the test tubes separately. Let the water to completely filter off ...
Mixing Oil & Water Science Experiment
Start by filling the jar with 1 cup of water. Add a few drops of food coloring to the water and stir until combined. Pour 1 cup of Oil into the jar. Securely tighten the lid on the jar and shake it for 15-20 seconds. Set the jar down and watch the liquid for a minute or two. Observe what happens to the Oil and the Water.
Oil & Water: A Magic Mixing Experiment For Kids
Create Your Mixture: Pour about ½ cup of oil into one of the drinking glasses. Then, carefully add the same amount of water to the same glass. Observe how the two liquids interact with each other. Introduce a Splash of Color: Now, ponder together what might happen if a drop of water-based food coloring is added to the mix.
Modeling soil water dynamics of an intensively cultivated histosol
In order to undertake the Hydrus 1D simulations, we conducted a soil column experiment in the laboratory with a histosol to obtain the necessary parameters to calibrate and validate the model. An intensively cultivated vegetable organic soil field in Napierville, Quebec, was chosen for soil sampling. The lab experiment is first described.
Mixing Oil & Water Science Experiment
Sign up for Cool Science Experiments FREE Weekly Newsletter: http://coolscienceexperimentshq.com/subscribeTo find even more cool science experiments visit: h...
Agronomy
Struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O), a mineral with low water solubility that can be recovered from industrial wastewater, has the potential to be used as a slow-release phosphorus (P) fertilizer. However, the effect of struvite on the yield and P uptake efficiency of different crops remains unclear. In this study, the effects of struvite, diammonium phosphate (DAP), and a mixed fertilizer consisting of ...
COMMENTS
2. Put one scoop of sand in the jar. Add half a scoop of small pebbles. 3. Pour in enough water to cover all of the soil and pebbles, then screw the lid on tightly and gently tip the jar back and forth to mix up the contents. 4. Take the lid off and set the jar in a safe place where it will not get bumped or moved and allow it to sit for a full ...
water changed after mixing with the soil for one hour. Record the difference in the data table in your lab notebook. 16. Repeat steps 9-17, but let the soil and water mix for one day and then two days, instead of one hour. You will need to vigorously shake the sediment tubes every few hours to re-mix the soil and water. Sample (location and ...
How to conduct the Down and Dirty experiment:Step 1: Drop a large handful of garden soil into the bottom of a big, empty jar. Pour some lime-water into a small container. Note what the lime-water looks like. Step 2: Set the container of lime-water, uncovered, inside the large jar so it rests on top of the soil.
Welcome to Champak SciQ, where we teach you simple science experiments which you can do it at home. Here are all the things you'd need 1) Some Soil 2) A Tran...
Mix well. To create your three soil containers, cut off and discard the bottoms of three empty water bottles. Turn the tops upside down so they look like elongated funnels. Leave the bottle caps on and let the funnels rest in the glass openings. Fill the funnel part of each soil container with popping corn kernels.
Shake your jar vigorously until all of your soil and water is mixed together. Find a place to let your jar sit undisturbed for several hours (some soils might need up to 24 hours for it to settle). After a while, you will notice layers start to form. These are the different particles that are found in soil!
Gravel is 2.0-63 mm (0.079-2.48 in) large grains, sand is 0.063-2.0 mm (0.0025-0.079 in) large grains, silt is 0.002-0.063 mm (0.000079-0.0025 in) large grains and clay is anything smaller than this. However, soil rarely only contains rocks but also a lot of other things. There are bacteria, viruses, insects, dead plant parts, water, air and ...
Soil Experiments and Hands-on Projects. Use grape Kool-Aid to learn how "Soil is a Filter" and how important soil is for clean drinking water. Soil Texture Lesson and Activity - Developed by SSSA, this lesson and activity introduces the concept of soil texture and particles sizes and contains an activity on Soil Texture (from New Mexico State ...
Scientific Method. Interested in helping the environment, and don't mind getting dirty? In this project you get to mix it up with earthworms, soil, and various types of organic kitchen scraps. The basic idea is to set up small earthworm colonies to compost different types of food waste. You test the soils in each type to see how diet affects ...
Approach to this Soil Science Experiment. Find dirt from various spots that "look" different. Fill the mason jar halfway with dirt from each of the chosen areas. Fill almost the remainder of the mason jar with water. Label each jar according to the area from which the dirt was obtained. Ask the children to shake each jar.
Soil Explorers - Jam Jar Experiment. Shake it- shake it all about! Come show us your moves in the name of science! Come shake jars of dirt to solve the puzzle of why soils behave differently in different places. This experiment will introduce all the things soil is made of and how they behave in water.
In this experiment, we're going to find out how quickly water drains through three different types of soil: one heavy with sand, a potting soil, and soil hea...
In this activity, students will perform an experiment to simulate sediment deposition in still water. They will examine the settling of sediment from two different types of soil; sandy soil and potting soil. After mixing each type of soil with water in clear bottles, students will investigate how sediment particles settle.
Fill 4 of the plastic cups 2/3 full with water. Add one color of food coloring to each of four cups - red, yellow, green blue - and stir well. Make sure you have added enough food coloring to make dark, rich colors. Fold 8 paper towels lengthwise so they resemble long strips. Place the four cups on your work surface, then place an empty cup ...
Pour the cornstarch into the bowl. Don't rush to add water - take time to feel the cornstarch. Cornstarch does not feel like any other powder. It has a texture that can be compared to that of whipped cream. The grains of cornstarch are so small that they will fill into grooves of your fingerprints and make the prints stand out.
Give each student group a set of the materials. Ask the groups to come up with a plan for how they can separate their soil mixtures using the tools you have provided. [Some plans they might think of can be: picking apart the soil with forceps; shaking the soil between two tumblers; putting the soil into a tumbler of water or pouring the soil ...
Click here to hear from the scientists themselves. Learn More. Contact Us / About Us. 5585 Guilford Road. Madison, WI 53711-5801. Phone: 608-273-8080 | Fax: 608-273-2021. Click here to learn more about SSSA….
In this video, we will discuss the 3 types of soil and their properties. We will also do a basic experiment of water flow and absorption in each type of soil...
Students will need to follow the following steps: Place a coffee filter inside each funnel. Place a funnel inside the top of each graduated cylinder. Fill each coffee filter with the same amount of the different types of soils. Slowly pour 100 mL of water into each funnel (on top of the soil). Wait for ten minutes.
Take the collected roadside soil and garden soil into two different beakers containing water. Mix the test tubes with the soil solution slowly. Now into a clean and dried two test-tube, arrange a funnel spread covered with a filter paper. Now gently pour the soil solutions into the test tubes separately. Let the water to completely filter off ...
Start by filling the jar with 1 cup of water. Add a few drops of food coloring to the water and stir until combined. Pour 1 cup of Oil into the jar. Securely tighten the lid on the jar and shake it for 15-20 seconds. Set the jar down and watch the liquid for a minute or two. Observe what happens to the Oil and the Water.
Create Your Mixture: Pour about ½ cup of oil into one of the drinking glasses. Then, carefully add the same amount of water to the same glass. Observe how the two liquids interact with each other. Introduce a Splash of Color: Now, ponder together what might happen if a drop of water-based food coloring is added to the mix.
In order to undertake the Hydrus 1D simulations, we conducted a soil column experiment in the laboratory with a histosol to obtain the necessary parameters to calibrate and validate the model. An intensively cultivated vegetable organic soil field in Napierville, Quebec, was chosen for soil sampling. The lab experiment is first described.
Sign up for Cool Science Experiments FREE Weekly Newsletter: http://coolscienceexperimentshq.com/subscribeTo find even more cool science experiments visit: h...
Struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O), a mineral with low water solubility that can be recovered from industrial wastewater, has the potential to be used as a slow-release phosphorus (P) fertilizer. However, the effect of struvite on the yield and P uptake efficiency of different crops remains unclear. In this study, the effects of struvite, diammonium phosphate (DAP), and a mixed fertilizer consisting of ...