AGR 103L – Field and Lab practical assessment
Course: AGR 103L Soil Stewardship Laboratory
Community 1, Group 2, Section A
Soil chemical properties (soil moisture ang organic matter/carbon content) determination
Activity
Soil chemical properties: soil
moisture content determination
Procedures/ protocol
As the purpose of this exercise
was to learn proper laboratory
techniques to prepare a soil
sample for laboratory analysis
and measure gravimetric water
content.
The procedures involved include
the following
 Soil sample
preparation
 We collected soil
samples from our
permanent first-year
farm fields.
 The collected samples
were put in 4 aluminium
moisture boxes with
covers for better
analysis and
interpretation of results.
 We measured and
recorded the weight of
each soil sample.
 Thereafter, we marked
our sample with prior to
easy identification of
our samples.
 Soil sample processing
 We put measured
weight of soil sample in
Comment/observation
 Comments
Throughout this activity, we had
to make sure that every sample
was labelled and, we were
obliged to respect time for
checking on samples placed in
oven, which made our work
more tiresome because we were
instructed to go back in the
laboratory late at night.
We measured the collected
samples and recorded the data.
The collected samples in oven
had helped us to analyse the
change in mass. The changes in
mass signifies that water has
been removed.
 Observation
Relevant data on moisture
content were as follows:
Soil Moisture (%) in plot of
Carrot A was 3.37%
Soil Moisture (%) in plot of
Carrot B was 3.27%
Soil Moisture (%) in plot of
Cucumber A was5.69%
Soil Moisture (%) in plot of
Cucumber B was 3.91%
 the aluminium moisture
box and placed them in  Conclusion
the oven after removing
the lid of the box. From the data above our soils
 We kept the sample at were found to be having a lot of
107 °C for 4 hours and moisture content because it was
again at 300°C until it in rainy season and it had rained
attains a constant the night before, which
weight, this took 10 increased the moisture
hours. percentages of our soil samples.
 We cooled the sample,
first in the switched-off
oven and then in a
desiccator.
 We weighted the cooled
sample. The loss in
weight is equal to the
moisture contained in
that soil sample. The
percentage of moisture
was calculated as:

Moisture percent = (loss in

weight/ Oven - dry wt. of soil
in weight) *100

Soil chemical properties:
organic matter/carbon content
Referring on the purpose of this
exercise which was to learn
proper laboratory techniques to
measure organic matter content
and aggregate stability and
become familiar with how they
are related.
During this activity, we used
various methods for estimating
organic matter in soil. Whereby
the loss of weight on ignition
can be used as a direct measure
of the organic matter contained
in the soil.

The procedures used were as We putted our sample at two

follow: distinct temperatures and
For sample preparation: obtained an observable change
 We used the soil in mass. The change in mass
samples we have dried, meant that some organic matter
grounded, and sieved (Carbon content) have been
before. removed.
 We cleaned and dried
crucibles following  Observation
cleaning methods
outlined in sample The relevant data collected
preparation exercise. were as follow:
 We labelled crucibles  Organic matter
and weighted on % organic matter in pasture was
balance, recorded 4.17%
crucible weight (C1). % organic matter in permanent
  We placed soil samples farm was: 5.30%
in clean, labelled % organic matter in bush was
crucibles and weighted 6.25%
on same balance, record % organic matter in temporary
crucible + sample farm was: 2.48%
weight (C2).
For sample processing, we  Carbon content
used the following procedures: % carbon content in pasture was
 We weighted 5.0–10.0 g 2.41%
of sieved (2 mm) soil % carbon content in permanent
into an ashing vessel. farm was: 3.074%
 We placed the ashing % carbon content in bush was
vessel with soil in a 3.625%
drying oven set at 107 % carbon content in temporary
°C and dry for 4 hours. farm was: 1.438%
 We removed the ashing
vessel from the drying  Conclusion
oven and placed them in
a dry atmosphere. From our findings, we found
 When cooled, we that our soil had relatively high
weighted to the nearest organic matter content binds
0.01 g. W1 mineral particles, giving our
 We placed the ashing soils a granular structure,
vessel with soil into a keeping the soil loose and
muffle furnace and aerated.
bring the temperature to Organic matter in our soil also
300 °C. Ash in the increases the water holding
furnace for 10 hours. capacity of soils and water
 We removed the ashing availability to plants.
vessel from the muffle
furnace, cooled in a dry We are expecting to have fertile
atmosphere, and soil in near future because, as
weighted to the nearest the organic matter in our soils
0.01 g. W2 decay, it will release essential
 The percentage of OM nutrients to the soil that is taken
is given by: up by plants. Also, organic
Percent organic matter: matter is the primary source of
(OM)=((W1-W2)/W1) *100 carbon and energy for soil
organisms.