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The best way to determine the organic content of a soil sample is the following:
1. First weigh the lab vessel that you will be putting your sample in and write it down.
2. Scoop in 5 g of the sample into the vessel then weigh it again.
3. Subtract the weight of the vessel by the weight you got in #2. This is your starting weight.
4. After adjusting the muffler furnace to 360 C, put the soil sample you have measured out that is in the lab container in the furnace for two hours.
5. After two hours, put on heat resistant gloves and take out the sample to allow it to cool. It will be very hot, much too hot to handle at the moment.
6. When it is cool, weigh the sample again, and just like in #3, subtract the weight of the vessel to this sample weight and you will get the weight of the sample without the weight of the organic matter.
7. Now divide the weight of the of the soil without the organic matter by the starting weight (which should be 5 g), then multiply by 100. This will give you the amount of soil in the sample. Now subtract by 100 from this amount and you will get the amount of organic matter in the soil.
For example,
If the end weight is 4.7g, then 4.7/5.0 = 0.94, which means that 0.94 x 100= 94%. Therefore, 100-94 = 6% of the soil sample is composed of organic matter.
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What is organic matter?
Usually carbon-based substances derived from living things. Examples include everything we grow and eat, wood, dung and the humus content of soil. Organic matter can be added to soil to make it more fertile, eg dung or compost.
The Factors that affect the BIODIVERSITY of an ecosystem.?
The factors that affect biodiversity of an ecosystem are moisture content, organic matter, Simpson's index of diversity and the pH of the soil.
What is the best speed to separate a soil sample in a centrifuge?
Very high speed is the best speed to separate a soil sample in a centrifuge.
What does organic soil look like?
Its consists of some organic substances
How can iron filings be separated from the soil sample?
Iron is magnetic so move a magnet through your soil sample to remove all the iron fillings.
Why does the soil of antarctica have little organic content?
It's too cold for organic content to survive in Antarctica.
How can soil fertility be increased?
Increase organic matter content.
The use of organic manure vs the effects on the soil?
increases the soil humus content soil microbs helps in soil maintenance
How do you determine which fertilizer to use?
Decide whether the crop to be grown will be organic or standard commercial.If organic, select manure (if autumn applied) or compost (if spring applied).If commercial, sample the soil in several locations of the field.Have soil sample tested.Follow fertility recommendation on report.If no soil sample is to be taken, analyze cropping history of field.Determine how much nutrients each crop has removed from the soil AND how much fertilizer has been added for each.Calculate fertility needs for new crop for each nutrient and apply same.
What kind of soil goes best with most cacti?
Sandy soil without water logging and good drainage, with low organic content goes best with cacti. Sandy soil without water logging and good drainage, with low organic content goes best with cacti. Sandy soil without water logging and good drainage, with low organic content goes best with cacti.
What is sub soil made of?
it is made of decomposed organic matter and and mineral content.
Does herbicides affect soil fertility?
If used properly, herbicides don't directly affect soil fertility. What effect they may have is in the gradual reduction of soil organic matter content. As the soil is no longer getting the same amount of plant residue deposited in it, the organic matter content can be slowly reduced.
How do you neutralize soil after fertilized?
To neutralise a sample of soil, you must determine the pH of the soil sample either acidic or alkaline. Add lime (e.g. Limestone) to acidic soil to neutralise it. And add sulphur to alkaline soil which will neutralise it.
Why do humus tend to increase with the clay content of soil?
As the clay content increases, there is more surface area in the soil for organic matter to adsorb to, which decreases the rate of decomposition.
How do you say soil has water content in?
The water content of soil is expressed as a percentage, i.e. the percentage of the soil that is water. To calculate, weigh the mass of a sample of soil. Let this be W. Then dry the soil in an oven (be careful not to burn it) and weigh the dry soil. Let this be D. The soil moisture content, M = W-D/W x 100.
What is bangar soil?
bangar soils are calcareous in nature and hav a loe organic content(humus). but it is very productive and fertile soil.
Why do soil have different pH?
Soil pH is largely a factor of the ratio of the soil's organic matter content to its mineral component. Soils high in organic matter have a lower pH. The kind of minerals can also have an effect on pH.
