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General Environmental Science Science Fair Project

Organic Matter and Soil Water Absorption

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Organic Matter and Soil Water Absorption | Science Fair Projects | STEM Projects
Does mixing organic material into sand change how much water the mixture holds? You fill pots with different ratios of sand and peat moss or sand and manure. The mixtures range from pure sand to three-quarters organic material. You pour one liter of water into each pot and wait 12 hours. Then you measure how much water drained into the saucer underneath. Subtract that from the original liter to find out how much each mixture absorbed. The results show which type and ratio of organic material holds the most water. This information is useful for gardeners choosing soil amendments.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that 3/4 Peat moss will absorb the most water.

Method & Materials

You will measure out different amounts of organic material and sand, mix them together, add water, and measure how much water is absorbed after 12 hours.
You will need 2000 grams of sand, 750 grams of manure, 750 grams of peat moss, 7 plastic pots, 7 plastic spoons, 7 plant saucers, 7 liters of tap water, 1 measuring cup, and 1 triple balance beam scale.

Results

The results showed that 1/2 peat moss absorbed the most water in both trials, and 1/4 manure absorbed the least. This experiment showed that organic material does affect the water absorbency of soil.

Why do this project?

This science project is interesting because it can help gardeners determine which organic material will benefit their plants the most.

Also Consider

Experiment variations to consider include testing different types of organic material, such as compost or mulch, and testing different amounts of water.

Full project details

Additional information and source material for this project are available below.
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