Experiment: Testing the alkalinity/acidity of the soil

Materials: Universal indicator/PH paper/PH Test meter, distilled water, test tubes, soil samples

Method

1. Place the soil samples into test tubes to a height of about 2cm
2. Add distilled water to the test tubes
3. Add a few drops of universal indicator and shake well
4. Leave the tube to stand until the solution is clear
5. Read the PH of the universal indicator and compare it to the provided chart
6. Alternatively you can dip the PH paper into the distilled water and soil mixture once it has settled
7. You can also use a soil PH test meter by plunging the measuring end into the ground and reading the PH off the meter

Results

• Different soil samples have different PH levels

To access more topics go to the Combined Science Notes page.