Question

You have a soil sample. Its volume is 300 cm3. Its oven-dry weight is 450 g. What is the porosity of the sample?

Answer 1

First density is calculated

It is calculated by the formula

Density = mass/volume

Mass = 450 g (We should take the dry Weight because it is the mass of sample)

Volume = 300 cm³

So Density = 450g/300 cm³

The bulk density of the sample is 1.5 g/cm³

The particle density of the sample is calculated by the formula

% Porosity = 100 – (bulk density/particle density *100)

The particle density for most soils is 2.65 g/cm³

% Porosity = 100 – (1.5/2.65*100)

% Porosity = 100 – (56.60)

Porosity of soil sample = 43.4%