Name and Date: ________________________________________
Capillarity
Purpose: to determine the relationship between capillarity and soil particle size
Materials: 250mL beaker (1 ea). Different sizes of soil particles (3). 100 mL beaker (2 ea). 50 mL
cylinder (1 ea). Water.
Procedures:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Fill empty beaker with 100 mL of water.
Using beaker water, pour 50 mL of water into one of the 100 mL cylinders.
Fill the other 100 mL cylinder with soil particles.
Pour the 50mL of soil particles into the 100 mL cylinder with the water.
Hold your finger over the top of the mixed 100 mL cylinder and carefully pour out the water into
a 50 mL cylinder. Avoid letting any particles fall out of the cylinder.
6. Measure filtered water in the 50 mL cylinder.
Data
Record the amount of water filtered into the 50mL cylinder in mL:
Small Particles
Medium Particles
Large Particles
Questions:
1. Which size particle retained the most water?
2. Which size particle retained the least water?
3. Describe the relationship between particle size and capillarity.
4. What is the name for the water trapped in between the particles?
5. What is the name of “force” that causes water to move upwards against gravity?
6. Draw a graph below showing the relationship between particle size and capillarity: