English
CBSESecondary School (English Medium) Class 7
Textbook Solutions8960
Concept Notes & Videos292
Syllabus

Properties of Soil

Advertisements

Topics

  • Introduction
  • Experiment 

Introduction:

Soil colour is an important characteristic that helps us understand different properties of the soil. The colour of the soil is influenced by several factors and processes.

  • For example, the top layer of soil is usually darker than the layers below because it contains more organic matter, such as decomposed plants and animals.
  • Soil can come in various colours like black, red, yellow, copper, and grey. These colours not only help classify different types of soil but also give us clues about other important properties of the land.
  • For instance, dark-coloured soil is often more fertile because it contains more organic material. Red or yellow soil might indicate the presence of iron, while black soil can hold water better, making it good for farming.
  • The colour of the soil depends on its texture (whether it’s sandy, clayey, or loamy) and its chemical composition, such as the presence of iron or lime.
  • This makes soil colour a useful tool in understanding how well the land can support crops and how water drains through it.

Experiment

1. Aim: To observe the water absorption and percolation rates of different types of soil (sand, sandy soil, and clay) and understand how these soil types differ in water-holding capacity.

2. Requirements: Three measuring cylinders, three glass funnels, filter paper, water, fine sand, sandy soil, and clay (soil from an earthen pot).

3. Procedure

Fit filter paper cones into the three glass funnels. Fill each funnel with equal quantities of the following materials:

  1. Funnel A: Fine sand
  2. Funnel B: Sandy soil
  3. Funnel C: Clay

Place each funnel on a measuring cylinder. Pour one test tube of water into each funnel. Observe and compare the amount of water that collects in each measuring cylinder.

4. Observation (Based on the Image)

  • Funnel A (sand): The most water collects, indicating that sand allows water to pass through quickly.
  • Funnel B (sandy soil): A moderate amount of water collects, showing that sandy soil holds some water but still allows percolation.
  • Funnel C (clay): The least amount of water collects, as clay retains more water and has low percolation.

5. Conclusion: Different types of soil have different water-holding capacities. Sand allows the most water to pass through, meaning it has the lowest water retention. Clay retains the most water, meaning it has a higher water-holding capacity. This experiment demonstrates that soils differ in their ability to absorb and retain water, which impacts plant growth and water management.

Collected water
If you would like to contribute notes or other learning material, please submit them using the button below.
Advertisements
Share
Notifications

Englishहिंदीमराठी
Login
Create free account


      Forgot password?
Course
Use app×