LABORATORY EXERCISE ON SOIL SCIENCE

Soil Science 22 PRINCIPLES OF SOIL SCIENCE
Laboratory Exercise No. 3
Soil Texture Determination




DATA SHEET
I. Soil Texture by Hydrometer Method
Given the following data collected after performing the hydrometer method,
complete the table below and determine the soil texture. Please show your
solutions.

A. At 4 minutes after sedimentation Sample 1 Sample 2

a. Temperature of blank solution (oC) 28 28
b. Temperature of soil suspension (oC) 30 30
c. Hydrometer reading of blank solution (g/L) 0 0
d. Hydrometer reading of soil suspension 16. 15
(g/L) 5
e. Correction factor 0.72 0.72
f. Corrected hydrometer reading 15.78 14.28

B. At 2 hours after sedimentation

g. Temperature of blank solution (oC) 28 28
h. Temperature of soil suspension (oC) 29 29
i. Hydrometer reading of blank solution (g/L) -3 -2
j. Hydrometer reading of soil suspension 10 10
(g/L)
k. Correction factor -2.64 -1.64
l. Corrected hydrometer reading 12.64 11.64

C. Calculate the percentage of sand, silt and clay

m. oven-dry weight of soil sample used (g) 25 25
n. % clay 50.56 46.56
o. % silt 12.56 10.56
p. % sand 36.88 42.88

C. Determine the textural class using the textural triangle

q. Textural name CLAY CLAY