SEKOLAH MENENGAH

KEBANGSAAN SULTAN ABDUL

AZIZ, 36000 , TELUK INTAN PERAK.
School Based Assessment
CHEMISTRY 962
(2014/2015)
Paper 4
TITLE : TYPE OF THE SOIL SUITABLE FOR PLANTING CORN

Group members :
NAME: KHOO PEI KIET
CLASS: 6AB
INDEX .NO: SA5009/1002
IC.NO: 961011-08-5613
TEACHER: PN.HJH HAZLINA BT MAHAYUDIN
NAME: LIM SHIN YEE
CLASS: 6AB
INDEX .NO: SA5009/1003
IC.NO: 960806-08-5620
TEACHER: PN.HJH HAZLINA BT MAHAYUDIN
NAME: K.HARAVINTH A/L KUMARAVADIVELAN
CLASS: 6AB
INDEX .NO: SA5009/1001
IC.NO: 961103-87-5049
TEACHER: PN.HJH HAZLINA BT MAHAYUDIN
NAME: NOR DIANA SAFITRI BINTI BAHRUDDIN
CLASS: 6AB
INDEX .NO: SA5009/1004
IC.NO: 960216-08-6244
TEACHER: PN.HJH HAZLINA BT MAHAYUDIN

CONTENTS
NO. ITEM
1
INTRODUCTION
2

METHODOLOGY

RESULTS

DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

PAGE

ABSTRACT
.
In this project, we had conducted an experiment regarding to the analysis of
soil type and its suitability for the agriculture industry. We had chosen soil samples
and the type of plant that is corn to be carried out in our experiment, the location of
soil samples collected were from school garden, riverbank, petanque court and
night market car park. . In order to identify the type of soil for each samples
collected, soil texture triangle is applied in this experiment after the soil samples
go through some processes. The results of these samples are loam, sand, silt loam
and clay. For each particular soil, two corn seed were planted in the pot, the light
and water with certain quantities were provided every day. The height of plant is
observed after a certain interval of days. The data was analyzed and we came to a
conclusion that sand is the most suitable soil for development and growth of corn
plant.

INTRODUCTION
Soil is a mixture of minerals, organic matter, gases, liquids and countless
organisms that together support plant life. Soil acts as an engineering medium, a
habitat for soil organisms, a recycling system for nutrients and organic wastes, a
regulator of water quality, a modifier of atmospheric composition and a medium
for plant growth. [1]
Soil texture have unique properties of the soil that will have a effect on the
behavior of soils, such as water holding capacity, nutrient retention and supply,
drainage and nutrient leaching. Mineral particles of a soil are present in a wide
range of sizes. Soil particles within this fraction are further divided into 3 separate
size classes, which included sand, silt and clay. Each type of soil have their
different sized particles. The size of the sand particles are between 2.0mm and
0.05mm, silt particles are between 0.05mm and between 0.02mm while clay
particle are less than 0.002mm.The soil textural class is a grouping of soils based
to their relative proportions. The percentage of clay, silt and sand in a soil is taken
and then textural triangle is used to determine the texture class of the soil. [2]
According to precious research that which is done to determine the type of
soil where it is suitable for corn grow better in sandy or silt soil. Corn will grow
perfectly well in pure sand if the nutrients and basic needs were supplied. Sandy
soils allows the corn to get its roots grow down quickly to absorbs the water from
deep soil. Soils on the sandy side of the textural triangle [2] hold less water per feet
of soil, thus corn grow in sandy soils. Organic matter will help it retain nutrients
and moisture, which are vital for corn.
In our project, we use this method to identify the type of soil texture for each
soil sample that was taken from different locations to carry out the experiment. The
most suitable soil which allows the corn plant to grow is regarding the soil
condition rather than environmental factor. The objective in this project is to
identity the type of soils and the second objective are to determine the most
suitable type of soil texture to let the corn seed to germinate. The observable result
is taken from the height of the plant to indicate the suitable soil type.

METHODOLOGY
MATERIAL AND APPARATUS
1. Pot
2. Corn seed
3. Soil samples
4. 100ml beaker
5. Label sticker
6. Bucket
7. Long ruler
8. Cloth
9. Water
10. Shovel
11. Newspaper
12. Filter
13. Slender jar
PROCEDURE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Spread the soil sample on the newspaper.

Removed all the rocks, trash, roots and etc are removed from the soil.
The soil is finely pulverized and dried.
After the soil is dried, the soil is filled into a tall slender jar until 1/4 full.
Water is added into the slender jar until full.
Tight the fitting lid and shake hard for 15 minutes.
The jar was placed aside where it is not disturbed for 5 days.
After 5 days, the depth layer of soil particles was measured using a meter
rule.
9. The depth layer of each particular composition of soil is recorded and
tabulated.
10.Step 1-9 are repeated for the other three soil samples.

Calculate the percentage of sand, silt and clay

1. Turn the soil texture and look up the soil texture class.

2. This formula are used to identify the type of soil:

a) Clay thickness = percentage of clay
Total
b) Sand thickness = percentage of sand
Total
c) Silt thickness = percentage of silt
Total
3. After all the percentage of soil particles are calculated, the type of soil
can be identified by referring to soil texture triangle.

Seed Planting
1. The soil is put into the pot until full.
2. 2 corn seeds were planted in each pot, 2cm below the surface of the
soil.
3. The seeds were covered with some soil.
4. The pots are labeled with stickers and named.
5. 60cm of water were provided and light is given to allow the seed to
germinate.
6. Step 1-5 are repeated for other type of soil.
7. The height of the plant is recorded and tabulated and the day for plant
to germinate is recorded.

The way to use the soil texture triangle

The numbers are arranged symmetrically around the perimeter. On the left are the
numbers corresponding to the percentage of clay, and on the right are the numbers
corresponding to the percentage of silt. At the bottom of the triangle chart are the
percentage of sand. To classify a soil sample, the intersection of the three lines can
be found that correspond to the three proportions. On the chart, all the percents will
add up to 100%. Take an example of soil sample that is 30% clay, 30% silt and
40% of sand. To draw a line on clay axis, the 30% is located on clay axis and a line
is drawn horizontally from left to right. Next, locate 30% on the silt axis and the
line is drawn going down diagonally to the left. Finally, locate 40% on the sand
axis and a line is drawn going up diagonally to the left. The intersection is a region
called clay loam. So the method can be applied to any soil samples of different
composition.

OBSERVATION AND RESULT

Thickness of the soil layer:
Type of soil
Loam soil

Clay soil

sand

Silt loam soil

Composition
of soil
Sand

cm

cm

cm

Cm

2.1

1.5

92.31

2.5

44.64

1.9

20.8
3
6.94

4.8

Silt

0.3

5.77

2.8

50.00

Clay

0.8

1.92

0.3

5.36

4.8

72.2
3
100

0.1

Total thickness

43.7
5
39.5
8
16.6
7
100

5.2

100

5.6

100

0.5
5.2
7.2
12
10
8

Thickness of soil particles/cm

silt loam soil

sand
4

clay soil
loam soil

2
0
sand

silt

Type of soil

clay

Number of day for the plant to germinate:

Type of soil
Sand
Clay
Silt loam
Loam

Day for the plant to germinate

5th day
No observation
7th day
No observation

The height of corn plant in different type of soil

Number of
day

Type of soil
Sand
Clay
Silt loam
Loam

0-5

6.5cm
0cm
8cm
0cm

6-10

11-15

12.3cm
0cm
15cm
0cm

24.6cm
0cm
0cm

16-20

30.5cm
0cm
0cm

CONCLUSION
Based on the result of the experiment, we can come in a conclusion that the most
suitable soil for corn to grow is sand, followed by silt loam, loam and clay. Sandy
soil is recommended because of its big pore spaces between the sand particles. It
also contains some minerals in the silt layer and the clay allows the corn plants
roots to penetrate deeper to obtain sufficient water for growth and also gaseous
exchange. We can do further research by collecting more soil samples from
different location such as beach, highland, swamp and use the soil texture triangle
to determine the type of soil more accurately so that we can obtain a more accurate
results.

REFERENCE
1. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=A0SO8zG11K1VHD8
AgZJXNyoA:_ylu=X3oDMTBya2cwZmh2BGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvc
wM1BHZ0aWQDBHNIYwNzcg--?
qid=20080413164001AAzU77v&p=sand%20suitable%20for
%planting%20corn%20plant
2. https://www.vaderstad.com/knowhow/soil-basic/characteristic-ofdifferent-soils
3. https://www.had2know.com/garden/classify-soil-texture-trianglechart.htm
4. https://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/science-and-innovation/agriculturalpractices/soil-and-land/soil-and-water/soil-texture-and-water-quality
5. https://www.study.com/academy/lesson/the-information-and-thecomposition-of-soil-definition-and-factors.html
6. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/protal/nrcs/detail/soils/edu?
cid=nrcs142p2_054280
7. https://www.extension.umn.edu/environment/housingtechnology/moisture-management/evaluating-soil-texture-for-ahouse-site/index.html

8. Oxford references book

DISCUSSION
SOIL AFFECTING GERMINATION PROCESSOF SEED
There are many factor can affect the growth of plant, the main factors are water,
temperature, moisture, light and etc. However, soil medium is also essential factor
to trigger the process of seed germination. During growth, seeds require mineral
elements for further growth which is obtained from the soil, the soil structure can
affect the amount of light intensity to penetrate through soil particle and absorb by
the seed as the seed also require light to triggering germination process in the seed.
INFORMATION OF SOIL SAMPLES OBTAINED IN THIS EXPERIMENT
Sand-

It composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles, when sand

referring to a textural class of soil, it is a soil containing more than 85%
sand sized particles. Sand is often dry, nutrient deficient and fast
draining. They have little ability to transport. The nutrient and water
holding capacity of sand soils can be improved through adding organic
molecule.

Clay-

Clays have a very high water holding capacity, but most of the water is
tightly bound and not available to plants. The humus content is often
high than in other mineral soils. These soils have a very good ability to
improve their structure through wetting. Due to high clay content, the
nutrient content is high.

Loam-

It composed mostly of sand and silt, and a smaller amount of clay. Loam
soil generally contain more nutrients, moisture, and humus than sandy
soils, have better drainage and infiltration of water and air than silty soils
and are easier to till than clay soils.

GROWTH MEDIUM FOR CORN PLANT

Corn plant require the soil condition with good drainage , ideal soil for corn is
sandy loam that stay moist, without being wet, corn grown in sandy soil may be
prone to drought stress without rainfall. Clay soils hold more total moisture than

soils from the other textural classes, but clay soils particles are so small that plant
roots are unable to effectively extract water from between the clay particles. When
the soil type is sandy and loamy, fibrous spreading type root system are better able
to extract water from larger soil volume, but they tend to have small, stunted roots
when planted in heavy clay and poorly drained soils.
Diagram shows the fibrous root system of corn

Diagram shows the sand particle structure.

For the fibrous root system of corn plant to adapt in soil medium, this type of root
presence in able to spread the root to surrounding, this type of root system also
adapted to some kind of condition such as drought. In case of corn, among the soil

samples there are sand, silt loam, loam and clay soils, sand will be the best choice
for corn because the pore space between sand particle is so big that roots can grow
inside, little of silt contain mineral elements and the ability of nutrient retention
and water holding water capacity suitable to root system of corn and let them grow
well , these minerals are absorbed by the plants, little trace of clay particles enable
the root can penetrate deeply inside the soil due to the fast draining of sand, the
root must able to grow deep to obtain sufficient amount of water to grow. The
existence of air space enable the gaseous exchange process in between roots and
gases, oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange take place effectively in sand due to
large pore space, the oxygen in atmosphere can easily drawn into the soil whereas
clay and loam soils does not possesslarge pore space as the sand soil, so the sandy
soil is the most suitable medium for the corn to develop.
Thus, for agricultural industry purposes in planting corn, apparently that
sandy soils or sandy loam soils will be the choices for their crops to grow healthy
to raise their productivity and amount of crop harvested. Provided the other
environmental factors and internal factors also considered in order to ensure the
well development of corn plant such as water, moisture, light, pH, temperature and
etc.