General Information about Physical Properties & Links to Experiments on 1) Compaction,2) Water Holding Capacity and 3) Permeability

What is Soil Structure

What is Soil Texture by Feel

Experiments using physical properties of soil

Setting up a field experiment - Go To Quadrants

Compaction Test, Percolation Test, Texture Test, & Mudshake

Filtering Quality of Soil

Soil Sizes-some surprises!

Activities from Utah

Activity # 1 - WATER IS A COMPONENT OF SOIL - Using a paper towel to remove water from soil, students determine that water is one of the four ingredients in the soil.

Activity # 2 - AIR IS A COMPONENT OF SOIL - By adding water to a soil sample, students can determine the approximate amount of air space that has been displaced.

Activity # 3 - CATEGORIZING SOIL PARTICLES - With the aid of a hand lens, students separate out various particles found in soil.

Activity # 4 - SOIL INGREDIENTS - Soil ingredients are sorted into organic materials and rock sediments.

Activity # 5 - A RECIPE FOR SOIL - Students make soil using local materials and compare plant growth in natural and student-made soil.

Activity # 6 - SOIL TYPES - Students separate a soil sample according to particle size.

Activity # 7 - FINDING OUR ROOTS IN THE SOIL - Students trace the origins of materials found in a leather shoe back to the soil.

The Physical properties of soils can readily lead to many different science projects. Exploring these properties can be easily documented in a science fair project.

Back to Science Fair--- Soil Science

This document maintained by terry.cooper@soils.umn.edu.

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