AGSL 1000 SOIL LAB - SOIL TEXTURE

Objectives
1. Define and understand the terms: soil texture, soil textural class, soil separate, sand, silt,
and clay.
2. Determine the textural class of a soil by hand texturing (not applicable).
3. Determine the particle size distribution via the hydrometer method.
4. Determine the soil textural class with a textural triangle.

Experiment A: The Feel Method (only for reference)
The boundaries of the 12 textural classes are shown in the textural triangle (Figure 1). These
boundaries are based on differentiations that can be made by an experienced soil surveyor in
the field using the feel method. In moist soils, the sand fraction feels gritty, the silt fraction
smooth, and the clay fraction, sticky. The general procedure for using the textural triangle is to
project the percentage value for each separate in the triangle toward the next side in a
clockwise direction. The line will be parallel to the adjacent counter-clockwise side.

Methods
1. Practice hand texturing the samples provided using Figure 2 to relate the feel of the soil
in both wet and dry states to textural class. In the moist state, the medium to fine-
textured soils should have the consistency of workable putty.
2. When you think you can distinguish known samples, try to practice with unknowns.

Results
1. Record the textural class of each soil you have examined via the feel method.
2. Compare and record the results of at least two of your classmates.

Discussion
1. How do you rate your ability to determine soil texture via the feel method?
2. What are major limitations of the feel method?
3. What are the major advantages of the feel method?

Experiment B: The Hydrometer Method
The feel method measures the effects of particle size distribution on consistency of the soil, not
the actual particle size distribution. Quantitative measures of the size distribution require the
use of sieves or methods that utilize differences in the rates at which particles settle in a fluid of
given viscosity and density to estimate equivalent spherical diameters of the particles. If
particles are assumed to be spheres of equal density, the time will be proportional to the
square of the particle diameter. The relationship is expressed mathematically in Stokes law.
t = h / 100 d
2

where t = time (sec)
h = height (cm)
d = diameter (mm)
100 = constant with units of sec mm
2
cm
-1


Methods that utilize Stokes law in measuring particle size distribution involve determining the
weight of soil particles contained in a given volume of initially homogeneous suspension at a
specific depth at a specific time after stirring. The assumption is that particles larger those that
will fall past the sampling point, starting from the top of the suspension, will not be sampled,
but that all particles less than that size will be sampled. Stokes law is used to calculate the time
required for a particle of given density and equivalent spherical diameter to fall from the top of
the suspension to the point of sampling.

Sampling the suspension at the prescribed depth and time can be done with a pipette (pipette
method) or the concentration of particles can be calculated from the density of the suspension
at that point, determined with a soil hydrometer (the hydrometer method). The increase in
density of the suspension over that of the fluid alone is proportional to the mass of the particles
in suspension. In either method, the particles must act as individuals so complete dispersion is
required. The indicated pretreatment is done to promote dispersion. The pipette method is
considered more accurate, but the hydrometer method is faster and better adapted to routine
analysis.

Methods
1. Place 50-g of air dried, 2-mm sieved, soil in a 600-ml beaker.
2. Add 50 ml of 5% sodium hexametaphosphate (Calgon). This is a dispersant. The Na
+

replaces Ca
2+
on the exchange sites. The PO
3
-

anion precipitates the exchangeable and
soluble cations such as Ca
2+
, which may cause flocculation.
3. Shake until well mixed and allow to stand for 15 minutes. Standing in the dispersant
allows time for the hydration of the particles and slaking of aggregates.
4. Transfer the contents of the flask to a dispersing cup of an electric mixer ensuring that all
the suspension is transferred and that the cup is not too filled.
5. Attach cup to mixer and stir for 2 minutes.
6. Transfer the soil quantitatively from the dispersing cup to a 1-L graduated cylinder, using
distilled water, and bring the contents to the 1000 ml mark. This establishes the original
concentration (g/L) of soil particles in the suspension.
7. Mix the soil with a plunger until a uniform suspension is obtained. Gently remove the
plunger and note the time immediately. To avoid loss of sample, the plunger must be
inserted gently into the suspension and should never be raised above the surface while
mixing.
8. Place a hydrometer gently into the suspension after removing the plunger and take a
reading at the end of 90 seconds. The effective depth at which the hydrometer
measures the density of the suspension is about 10 cm. After 90 seconds, all sand
particles should have fallen below this depth, the hydrometer measures the
concentration (R) of the silt+clay in the suspension at this depth.
9. Gently insert the hydrometer. Make a reading at the end of 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Remove the hydrometer and record the value in your lab book. This reading is a
measure of the clay separate.
10. Determine the hydrometer correction factor (R
L
) for the density of the dispersing
solution by gently inserting the hydrometer into the solution provided for this purpose.
Record the value for this reading in your lab book. The final volume of this solution is
1000 ml minus the volume of the soil particles, where a particle density of 2.65 g cm
-3

was assumed in its preparation. The amount of distilled water added to the 100 ml of 5
% Calgon used in preparing the dispersing solution was 881 ml for the 50-g sample.
11. Subtract the hydrometer reading for the blank from the value obtained in step 8 and
record the corrected reading in your lab book. This is the only correction necessary if the
dispersing solution is at the same temperature as the suspension and the time for the
0.05-mm particle to fall 10 cm was calculated using the proper density and viscosity for
that temperature. After measuring the temperature (T) a temperature correction (R
T
)
should be performed where R
T
= (T 19.5) 0.03.
12. Calculate the percentages of the various soil separates and determine the textural class
of your sample. Record these on the data sheet. Use the equations below to calculate
the percentages of the soil separates. Use the textural triangle (Figure 1.1) to determine
the textural class of your soil.

Results
1. Record the sample number.
2. Record the air dry weight of the soil sample.
3. Record the hydrometer readings after 90 seconds.
4. Record the temperature of the suspension
5. Record the hydrometer reading for the Calgon solution
6. Record the corrected reading after 90 seconds.
7. Record the name of the soil separate(s) measured after 40 seconds.
% silt+clay = corrected 90-s (g/L) / oven dry weight of soil sample (g/L) *100
% sand = 100% - % silt+clay
7. Record corrected reading after 1 hours and 30 minutes.
8. Record the name of the soil separate(s) measured after 1 hour and 30 minutes.
% clay = corrected 1h30m (g/L) / oven dry weight of soil (g/L) *100
% silt = %silt+clay - %clay

Discussion
1. How did your results compare when using the hydrometer and feel methods? (not
applicable)
2. What are major limitations of the hydrometer method?
3. What are the major advantages of the hydrometer method?