Soil Analysis

SOIL ANALYSIS
PURPOSE: To use simple inorganic chemical reactions to determine the composition of soil samples.

INTRODUCTION Soil is a complex mixture of solids, water and gases. Soil is formed partially by the breakdown of rocks and minerals on the surface of the earth. The remainder of soil is composed of organic compounds from the decomposition of plants, animals, insects, bacteria, mold and fungi. Water and air are trapped in the spaces between soil particles.

M A T E R I A L S NE E D E D
concentrated sulfuric acid 0.1 M barium chloride solution 0.001 M lead acetate solution 0.01 M silver nitrate solution bromthymol blue indicator bromthymol blue indicator color chart or pH paper 6 M ammonia solution 24 well microplate 96 well microplate 4 soil samples - different types 8 microtip pipets graduated cylinder distilled water 8 toothpicks scissors

Because the components of soil can vary widely, soils are classified into large groups. No two soils are the same even if they are in the same general classification. The composition of the soil will vary depending on physical and chemical factors which vary due to location. The make up of a soil high in clay is totally different from the composition of a fine loam. Soil provides anchorage, an absorbing/adsorbing media, a source of nutrients and water for plants. Soil provides the same nutrients for bacteria, mold, insects and invertebrates which live on and below the surface of the soil. In this experiment you will determine several characteristics of soil. You will find that different soils can vary greatly in their composition. Often, these differences can be used to identify soil samples, select optimal locations for particular crops or give scientists information necessary for conservation. You will be performing tests on the top soil which is the upper most layer of soil and contains most of the organic, water and

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nutrients needed for plant growth. The qualitative tests you will be performing include: pH, nitrate, sulfate, chloride and phosphate ion tests and moisture retention. WATCH OUT! You are using concentrated sulfuric acid which can burn your skin and concentrated ammonia. Lead and silver are toxic metals. Silver nitrate will stain your skin. Be careful. PROCEDURE A. pH of Soil 1. Place 0.5 g of each of the four samples of soil in wells A1 through A4 of the large well microplate. Add 3 mL of distilled water to each of the samples. Mix each sample and water with a toothpick. Allow the soil to settle out of the mixture. Use a pipet to transfer the water from the soil sample to the corresponding set of wells in row B (i.e. the liquid in well A1 goes into B1, A2 into B2 etc.) Try not to transfer any soil. Place 10 drops of the solution in wells B1 - B4 into wells C1 - C4, respectively (i.e. 10 drops of the liquid in well B1 into C1, B2 into C2, etc.) Add 1 drop of bromthymol blue indicator to each of the wells in row C, 1 - 4, or just use pH paper to measure the pH. Match the color of the solutions in wells C1 - C4 with the color chart for bromthymol blue indicator. Record both the color of the solution and the pH on the DATA SHEET. Save the solutions in wells B1 - B4 for testing in the next section.

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B. Nitrate Testing 1. Transfer 5 drops of each of the liquids in large wells B1 B4 to wells B1 - B4 in a small well microplate.

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2.

Carefully add one drop of concentrated sulfuric acid to wells B1 - B4 in the small well microplate. The formation of a brown ring or brown precipitate is a positive test for nitrate.

C. Sulfate Testing 1. Transfer 5 drops of each of the liquids in large wells B1 B4 to wells C1 - C4 in a small well microplate. Carefully, add one drop of barium chloride to wells C1 - C4 in the small well microplate. The formation of a white precipitate (barium sulfate) is the test for the presence of the sulfate ion.

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D . Phosphate Testing 1. Transfer 5 drops of each of the liquids in large wells B1 B4 to wells D1 - D4 in a small well microplate. Add one drop lead acetate to wells D1 - D4 in the small well microplate. The formation of a white precipitate (lead phosphate) is the test for the presence of the phosphate ion.

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E. Chloride Ion Test 1. Transfer 5 drops of each of the liquids in large wells B1 B4 to wells E1 - E4 in a small well microplate. Carefully add one drop of silver nitrate to wells El - E4 in the small well microplate. The formation of a white precipitate (silver chloride) is the test for the presence of the chloride ion. Confirm the presence of chloride ion by adding 3 drops of 6 M ammonia water. If the white precipitate dissolves, chloride ion presence is confirmed.

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F. Moisture Retention 1. Use a scissors or scalpel to cut the top and stem of four microtip pipets. See Diagram 1. Label each of the pipets with the name of each soil sample. Record the names of each sail sample on the DATA SHEET.

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Place a small piece of paper towel in the bottom of the bulb of the cut microtip pipet. The paper towel will block the soil sample from going into the stem. Record the mass of each cut on the DATA SHEET. Add enough soil to each pipet to fill it half way. Record the mass of each filled pipet on the DATA SHEET. Hold each pipet vertically and add enough water to soak the soil sample. Use a piece of paper towel to remove any water droplets which are trapped in the stem of the pipet. Record the mass of the wet soil on the DATA SHEET.

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CUT

Diagram 1: Preparation of microtip pipets for moisture retention experiment.

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DATA SHEET A. pH of Soil Sample 1 Color pH ________ ________ Sample 2 ________ ________ Sample 3 ________ ________ Sample 4 ________ ________

B . Ion Reactions For each ion reactions record from 0 to 5 the amount of precipitate formed. With 0 meaning no precipitate and 5 a great deal. Nitrate Sample 1 ________ Sample 2 ________ Sample 3 ________ sample 4 ________ Sulfate ________ ________ ________ ________ Phosphate ________ ________ ________ ________ Chloride ________ ________ ________ ________

C . Moisture Retention Sample 1

Empty pipet (g) Pipet & dry soil (g) Dry soil (g) Pipet & wet soil (g) Water retained (g) Water retained/gram

Sample 2 ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________

Sample 3 ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________

Sample 4 ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________

________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________

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QUESTIONS 1. Write out the formulas for the following compounds: silver nitrate

barium chloride

barium sulfate

ammonium chloride

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Write out the chemical reactions for the formation of the precipitates in sections B, C and E.

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3.

Do you think the soils in Tucson are similar to the soils throughout the U.S? How are they the same? How are they different?

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What do you think is the single most important soil characteristic? Why?

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Can the use of fertilizers turn poor soil into a good one? Explain your answer