University:
Missouri State University
Course:
PHY 203 | Foundations of Physics I
Academic year:

2021
Views:

225

Pages:

2
Author:

umfikie3qn

Exploring Porosity, Retention, and Permeability Materials: Transparent plastic tube (assembled), two - one hundred ml graduated cylinders, 600 ml beaker, large beads, medium beads, small beads, timer, ring stand, ring, and clamp Procedure: 1. Set up materials as demonstrated. 2. Make certain the drainage fixture is secure, the screen in place, and the clamp closed. 3. Use your dry graduated cylinder to measure out 100 cubic centimeters (100ml) of any size beads and place them in the column. 4. Measure 100 milliliters of water in the wet graduated cylinder. Add just enough water to cover the beads in the column. 5. Determine the volume of water that was added. This gives the total pore space. Porosity is determined by dividing the total volume (100 ml) into the total pore space and multiplying by 100%. 6. Once the porosity has been determined, open the clamp and allow the water to drain into the wet graduated cylinder. 7. Determine how much water was retained by the particles. This is your value for retention. (ml) 8. Next, re-clamp the tube and add 400 milliliters of water to the column. Place a 400 ml beaker beneath the column to catch the water as it flows out. 9. Release the clamp, and record the time required for the water to drain through the particles. (sec.) Repeat this last step two more times and take the average of your time. This is your permeability value. 10. Repeat the entire procedure for each of the three different size beads. Questions: 1. What is the relationship between the size of the beads and permeability? 2. Why is the answer to question number one true? 3. Which size beads retains the most water? 4. What is the reason for the answer to question number three? 5. What is the difference between porosity and permeability? 6. What type of soil has the best porosity? What type of soil has the best permeability? 7. Gardeners in Western Pennsylvania may add sand to their garden soil. Why do they do this? 8. What would have changed in your results if you had mixed all three sizes of beads together to run the experiment?