Soil Study
Recommended for grades 5–8.
Introduction
Soil is made up of tiny particles of rock, plant, and animal matter. Soil acidity can be expressed using the pH scale. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. Soils with a pH above 7 are basic. Soils with a pH below 7 are acidic. A soil with a pH of 7 is neither acidic nor basic, but is neutral. The pH and water absorption of soil help to determine which plants will grow well in it. The pH of soil helps to decide which minerals are available for plants. Most plants grow best in soil with a pH of 6.5. Erosion is controlled by how well the soil retains water. In this activity, you will measure the pH of soil and measure how well soil samples absorb water.
Objectives
In this experiment, you will
- Measure the pH of soil samples.
- Determine the amount of water retained by soil samples.
- Compare soil samples.
Sensors and Equipment
This experiment requires each of the following Vernier sensors and equipment (unless otherwise noted):
Additional Requirements
You may also need an interface and software for data collection. What do I need for data collection?
Download Experiment Preview
The student-version preview includes:
- Step-by-step instructions for computer-based data collection
- List of materials and equipment
Note: The experiment preview of the computer edition does not include essential teacher information, safety tips, or sample data. Instructions for Logger Pro and other software (such as LabQuest App or TI handheld software, where available) are on the CD that accompanies the book. We strongly recommend that you purchase the book before performing experiments.
Standards Correlations
See all standards correlations for Middle School Science with Vernier »
Included in the Lab Book
Vernier lab books include a CD with word-processing files of the student instructions, essential teacher information, suggested answers, sample data and graphs, and more.