LABORATORY NO.

4
SOIL GRAVEMETRIC METHOD
NARRATIVE REPORT

JULY R. ARTOCILLO
BERNARD GOIS JR
BSABE 3
 I. Introduction:
Soil gravimetric method is the process/processes which involves the drying of the soil
samples either by oven drying, using heat lamps, or even by frying. The main goal of this
method is to remove the water and moisture contents that are present in the soil.
The gravimetric method is technically unsophisticated and requires only simple equipment,
much of which is usually available in laboratories. The method may be divided into four stages:
obtaining a sample of soil from a specified depth, transportation to the laboratory, weighing
and drying the soil, and calculation of the results.

II. Objectives
This laboratory aims to:
1.Remove the water and moisture content in the soil samples

2.Weight out the soil before and after drying

3.Calculate the soil moisture in the soil sample

III.
Materials:
1.Record book
2. Ballpen
3. Soil samples
4. Electronic balance/weighing scale
5. Soil samples
6. Cooking pan/pot

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IV. Methodology
The following are the methods involves in Soil Gravimetric test:
PROCEDURES:

1. If using an electronic balance, check that balance measures in grams and is zeroed
properly.
2. If you are using sample cans, remove the lids from each soil sample.
3. If you are using bags, get the mass with the bags closed.
4. Weight out the samples.
5. If using heat lamps, place sample bags under the lamps.
6. Samples can take 2-3 days to dry completely.
7. Another method of drying is to fry the soil in the cooking pot with the maximum amount
of heat.
8. To test if the samples are is dry, weight it, and then dry it for an additional period of time.
(30 minutes).
9. Weight it again, if the mass of the sample has not changed by more than 0.3 grams, the
sample may be considered dry.
10. Repeat if necessary.
11. Record the drying weight and time

V. Results and discussion:

In this Laboratory, we used 1 soil sample weighing 324.6 grams. After preparing the
materials needed, we weight the plastic bag that will serve as the container for sample. The
electronic scale is zeroed for a proper data collection of weight. After weighing the wet soil
sample, we weight the plastic container which is exactly 0.9 grams. After this, we prepare
the cooking pot that we are going to use to dry the samples by frying. After a couple of
hours of frying the soil samples, we test if the sample is already dry, we weight it but it is
not too far from its original weight, so we fried it again for a couple of hours more. Its
appearance began to change, its former dark colored changes to gray. After assuming that
the samples are dried enough, we weight the sample in the electronic balance and it weights
105.8 grams. To determine whether it is dry or not, we continued frying the samples for 30
more minutes and weight it again, it weights 105. 7 grams, we repeat this method one last
time, we fried the soil for additional time of 30 minutes, and we got 104.0 grams, a very
close results to the previous data. Therefore, we conclude that the sample is already dry.
We then recorded the drying time and weight.

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 To calculate the soil moisture content, we used this formula:

soil moisture = (fresh weight – dry weight) / dry weight

GIVEN:
• Fresh weight = 324.6 grams
• Dry weight = 104.0 grams

Soil moisture = (324.6 – 104.0)/ 104.0

= 2.12
VI. Documentations

Zeroing the electronic balance Weighing the fresh soil sample

Weighing the plastic container

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 Soil drying by frying method

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 Weight of sample in trial 1 Weight of samples in trial 2

Final dry weight of the soil

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VII. References
Gravimetric Method - Soil Water Measurement - Wiley Online Library

Protocol - Gravimetric Soil Moisture (msu.edu)

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