Ecology Lab
Overview and Purpose
Nonliving, or abiotic, factors all have an effect on soil. The quality of the soil affects how well plants grow in a particular environment. In this lab, you will:
Problem
How does soil type affect how water moves through soil?
Hypothesis
You should complete steps 1-5 in the procedure before writing your hypothesis. Write a hypothesis to explain how water moves through certain types of soil. Your hypothesis should take the form of an "If..., then..., because" statement.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Procedure
DATA TABLE: SOIL CHARACTERISTICS
See Bottom of paper
Observe and Analyze
1. Interpret Data
Through which soil sample did the water move the fastest? The slowest?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Infer
What type of changes occurred in the soil as the water was added?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Conclude
1. Interpret Compare your results with the hypothesis. Does your data support your hypothesis? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Identify Limits What sources of error could have affected this investigation?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Evaluate Based on your observations, what can account for the difference in the times recorded for the three soil samples? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Predict Based on your results, which of the soil samples would you expect to be the best type of soil in which to grow plants? Explain. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Nonliving, or abiotic, factors all have an effect on soil. The quality of the soil affects how well plants grow in a particular environment. In this lab, you will:
- observe and record how water travels through three soil samples.
- predict how different types of soil would affect plant growth.
- Materials
- 50 mL each of clay, coarse sand, loam
- 3 sheets of paper
- spoon
- hand lens
- toothpick
- eyedropper
- 3 pieces of filter paper
- 3 plastic funnels
- 3 large beakers
- small beaker
- water
- stopwatch
Problem
How does soil type affect how water moves through soil?
Hypothesis
You should complete steps 1-5 in the procedure before writing your hypothesis. Write a hypothesis to explain how water moves through certain types of soil. Your hypothesis should take the form of an "If..., then..., because" statement.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Procedure
- Read the data table.
- Label three sheets of paper "Clay", "Sand", and "Loam". Carefully place a spoonful of each sample on the appropriately labeled paper.
- Carefully examine each of the soils, with and without the hand lens. Describe the color of each and record the information in your data table.
- Use a toothpick to separate the particle of each sample of soil. Record the size of the particles in your data table.
- Put a small amount of each soil sample in the palm of your hand. Add a drop of water and mix the soil around with your finger. Write a description of the texture of each soil sample in your data table. Be sure to wash your hands after you finish. After you have recorded your observations, write your hypothesis.
- Fold each piece of filter paper to form cones as shown in the diagram. Place one filter inside each funnel. Place one funnel in each large beaker. Measure 50 mL of each soil sample and place the sample in one of the funnels.
- Measure 50 mL of water and pour it into the funnel containing the clay. Start the stopwatch when the water begins to drip out of the funnel. Stop the stopwatch when the water stops dripping. Record the time in seconds in your data table.
- Repeat step 7 for the sand and the loam. When you have finished with the activity, dispose of the materials according to your teacher's directions, and wash your hands.
DATA TABLE: SOIL CHARACTERISTICS
See Bottom of paper
Observe and Analyze
1. Interpret Data
Through which soil sample did the water move the fastest? The slowest?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Infer
What type of changes occurred in the soil as the water was added?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Conclude
1. Interpret Compare your results with the hypothesis. Does your data support your hypothesis? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Identify Limits What sources of error could have affected this investigation?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Evaluate Based on your observations, what can account for the difference in the times recorded for the three soil samples? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Predict Based on your results, which of the soil samples would you expect to be the best type of soil in which to grow plants? Explain. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
| Data Table for Assignment |
