SOIL SCIENCE

AGR231​

LABORATORY REPORT 6

DIPLOMA IN PLANTING INDUSTRY

MANAGEMENT (AT110)

FACULTY OF PLANTATION &

AGROTECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI
MARA CAWANGAN PAHANG

STUDENT GROUP 5
NAME
MATRIX NO

GROUP AT1103F

LECTURER NAME ANISAH BINTI MOHAMMED

ACADEMIC SESSION OCTOBER 2020 – FEBRUARY 2021

 LABORATORY REPORT 6

A. TITLE

Introduction to Minerals in Soil ​

B. STUDENT NAME AND ID

C. GROUP MEMBERS

1. Azizah Shakila binti Munawir (2019647146)

2. Nur Irdina Afiqah binti Mohd Sabri (2019255272)
3. Nur Suraya Binti Mat Saad (2019289714)
4. Nur Naliessa Shafieqa Binti Mat Dalim (2019280186)
5. Naufal Akram B. Khairul ‘Azmi (2019430946)

D. INTRODUCTION

Each soil is a porous mixture of mineral particles, organic matter, air and water. Its
properties depend on the nature and amount of each constituent. The mineral
particles in typical surface soil in good condition for plant growth will comprise about
one-half of a soil’s volume. A useful way to describe the mineral fraction of soil
consists of separating particles into three-size categories; sand, silt, and clay, called
soil separates. Sands (2.0-0.02 mm) are the largest, silts (0.02-0.002 mm) are
intermediate and clays (less than 0.002 mm) are the smallest mineral particles. Soil
texture describes the proportions of sands, silt and clay in a soil.

The determination of the proportion of solid particles in different size ranges is

called mechanical analysis. This exercise uses one type of mechanical analysis, the
Bouyoucos Hydrometer method, to separate soil particles into different size ranges
based upon their differential settling rate in water. Two basic principles are combined
in this determination are dispersion and sedimentation.

1. Dispersion
Individual soil particles must be separate from each other and remain separated
during the determination of particle size distribution. Since aggregates of solid
 particles are usually held together by some kind of binding agent, it is first
necessary to remove these substances, or at least render them ineffective. Once
the compound particles in the soil are separated into individual particles they are
said to be dispersed.

Dispersion is achieved by mechanical and chemical means. Mechanical stirring is

effective in dispersing larger aggregates, but is ineffective on small, aggregated
clay groups. Chemical dispersion is required in this case. Sodium
hexametaphosphate is an effective chemical dispersing agent for two reasons:
a. The sodium monovalent cation replaces polyvalent cations (predominantly
calcium) usually adsorbed on soil thereby breaking one type of interparticle
linkage.
b. The adsorbed sodium cations are highly hydrated and raise the
electronegativity of colloids until these particles repel each other and remain
dispersed.

The mixture of dispersed soil particles in water is called a soil suspension.

2. Sedimentation
In sedimentation techniques, the settling rates of dispersed particles in water are
measured. Large particles will settle out of suspension more rapidly than small
particles because small particles present more specific surface area. Particles
exposing more surface area per unit of weight experience greater frictional
resistance and hence settle at slower velocities.

E. OBJECTIVE

1. To determine the soil texture by using different methods.

2. To compare the accuracy of the different methods of determination.

F. APPARATUS AND MATERIAL

25 g soil, water, spatula

 G. METHODS (PROCEDURES)

No Procedures Picture
1 Wet and kneat soil.
- Add 25 g soil to palm
- Add water a little at time
- Kneel soil to break down all aggregates
- Use spatula to help mix the soil
- Kneal soil until it feel like moist puffy

Example of material needed

Figure 6.1 determination of feel method

2 Test the soil by forming a ball

- Try to form a ball with soil

Form a soil into ball on palm

3 Determine the soil ribbon.
- Try to form a ribbon with ball
- Place ball between thumb and forefinger
- Squeeze upward to form ribbon
- Allow ribbon to break under its own weight
- Try with different types of soil and record the
data.

Form a ribbon with ball

4 Determine how long is the soil ribbon
- Types of loam can ribbon less than 2.5 cm
ribbon
- Types of clay loam can ribbon to 2.5 until 5 cm
ribbon
- Types of clay can ribbon more than 5 cm ribbon.

Squeeze the soil upward into a

ribbon

5 Determine is the soil is gritty or smooth

- Place some soil in palm
- Excessively wet with water
- Rub with forefinger
- Determined the grittiness and smoothness

Place some soil in the palm and

add a little water to determine
the smoothness and grittiness.
H. RESULT (DATA / OBSERVATION)

Sample Ribbon Type Wet Feel (smooth, Texture

No (weak, medium, gritty, neither)
strong)
1 weak gritty Sandy Loam

2 medium gritty Sandy Clay loam

3 strong gritty Sandy clay

4 weak neither Silt loam

5 medium neither Silty clay loam

6 strong neither Silty clay

I. CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, students collected the soil sample to get the information to determine
the soil texture by using different methods and to compare the accuracy of the different
methods of determination.
J. DISCUSSION

1. List an advantage and a disadvantage of using the feel method?

The advantage of using the feel method is beginners can quickly obtain a
satisfactory result by practicing the following techniques and utilize simplified texture
triangles. The disadvantages of using the feel method is cannot be used in coarse
soils and strong ground and limited depth.
2. What is the common texture of Malaysian soil? Why is it common?
The common texture of Malaysian soil is ​Malaysian soils vary widely in texture from
as low as 3% (sandy soils) to over 90% (clayey soils) of clay content. The mean
sand content of Malaysian soils is 41%, which is nearly the same as that of the clay
content, 43%.
3. What are the textures that contain coarse soil particles?
The texture is sandy because the soil particle are large and coarse.It is called sand