3.

Problem: If the bulk density of a soil

Bulk Density Problems sample is 1.3 g/cm³ and the pore space
is 45%, calculate the particle density of
1. Problem: A soil sample weighs 420 g the soil.
and occupies a volume of 600 cm³. 4. Problem: A soil sample has a mass of
Calculate the bulk density of the soil. 150 g and a volume of 50 cm³. Calculate
2. Problem: A field has compacted soil the particle density.
with a bulk density of 1.6 g/cm³. If the 5. Problem: The bulk density of a soil
total volume of the soil is 800 cm³, what sample is 1.5 g/cm³. If the particle
is the mass of the soil in grams? density of the soil is 2.6 g/cm³, what is
3. Problem: A soil sample has a mass of the pore space in the soil?
350 g and a volume of 500 cm³. What is 6. Problem: A soil has a bulk density of
the bulk density of the soil? 1.4 g/cm³ and a particle density of 2.7
4. Problem: If the bulk density of a loamy g/cm³. Calculate the volume of pore
soil is 1.3 g/cm³ and the total volume of space in a soil sample that weighs 400
the soil sample is 2,000 cm³, calculate g.
the mass of the soil. 7. Problem: A soil sample has a mass of
5. Problem: A sandy soil has a bulk 400 g and a volume of 120 cm³. What is
density of 1.4 g/cm³. What is the total the particle density of the soil?
volume of a 1,200 g soil sample? 8. Problem: A soil sample weighs 600 g
6. Problem: A clayey soil has a bulk and has a volume of 250 cm³. What is
density of 1.2 g/cm³. If the soil volume is the particle density of the soil?
900 cm³, calculate the mass of the 9. Problem: The particle density of a soil is
sample. given as 2.5 g/cm³. If the soil sample
7. Problem: The bulk density of a soil is has a volume of 300 cm³, what is the
1.5 g/cm³. If you want to plant crops, mass of the sample?
would this bulk density be suitable? 10. Problem: A soil sample weighs 300 g
Justify your answer based on the soil and has a volume of 150 cm³. What is
texture and compaction. the particle density of the soil?
8. Problem: A soil sample weighs 850 g
and occupies a volume of 1,000 cm³. Pore Space Problems
What is the bulk density of the soil?
9. Problem: If a soil has a bulk density of 1. Problem: A soil sample has a bulk
1.7 g/cm³ and occupies a volume of 300 density of 1.3 g/cm³ and a particle
cm³, what is the total mass of the soil? density of 2.6 g/cm³. Calculate the pore
10. Problem: A soil has a bulk density of space.
1.4 g/cm³ and a porosity of 45%. What 2. Problem: A soil sample has a mass of
is the volume of water that can be held 400 g and occupies a volume of 500
in the soil if the total volume is 1,000 cm³. The particle density is 2.5 g/cm³.
cm³? What is the pore space in the soil?
3. Problem: The bulk density of a soil
Particle Density Problems sample is 1.4 g/cm³ and the particle
density is 2.7 g/cm³. What is the volume
1. Problem: A soil sample weighs 250 g of pore space in a 1,000 cm³ soil
and occupies a volume of 100 cm³. sample?
Calculate the particle density of the soil. 4. Problem: A soil sample weighs 600 g
2. Problem: A soil has a mass of 500 g and has a volume of 400 cm³. If the
and occupies a volume of 200 cm³. particle density of the soil is 2.5 g/cm³,
What is the particle density? calculate the pore space in the soil.
 5. Problem: A clayey soil has a bulk 2. Mass = bulk density × volume = 1.6
density of 1.2 g/cm³ and a particle g/cm³ × 800 cm³ = 1,280 g
density of 2.6 g/cm³. What is the pore 3. Bulk density = mass/volume = 350 g /
space? 500 cm³ = 0.7 g/cm³
6. Problem: The bulk density of a soil is 4. Mass = bulk density × volume = 1.3
1.5 g/cm³ and the particle density is 2.7 g/cm³ × 2,000 cm³ = 2,600 g
g/cm³. If the soil sample has a volume of 5. Volume = mass / bulk density = 1,200 g
200 cm³, calculate the volume of pore / 1.4 g/cm³ = 857.14 cm³
space. 6. Mass = bulk density × volume = 1.2
7. Problem: A soil sample has a bulk g/cm³ × 900 cm³ = 1,080 g
density of 1.3 g/cm³ and a particle 7. Bulk density of 1.6 g/cm³ is high and
density of 2.5 g/cm³. What percentage indicates compaction. This is unsuitable
of the soil’s volume is pore space? for optimal root growth.
8. Problem: The bulk density of a soil 8. Bulk density = mass/volume = 850 g /
sample is 1.4 g/cm³, and the particle 1,000 cm³ = 0.85 g/cm³
density is 2.65 g/cm³. Calculate the pore 9. Mass = bulk density × volume = 1.7
space of a 750 cm³ soil sample. g/cm³ × 300 cm³ = 510 g
9. Problem: A soil has a bulk density of 10. Water holding capacity = pore space ×
1.6 g/cm³ and a particle density of 2.8 volume = (1 - (1.4/2.6)) × 1,000 cm³ =
g/cm³. What is the percentage of pore 461.54 cm³
space in this soil?
10. Problem: A soil sample weighs 800 g Set 2: Particle Density
and occupies a volume of 1,000 cm³.
The particle density is 2.7 g/cm³. 1. Particle density = mass/volume = 250 g
Calculate the volume of pore space in / 100 cm³ = 2.5 g/cm³
the soil. 2. Particle density = mass/volume = 500 g
/ 200 cm³ = 2.5 g/cm³
3. Particle density = bulk density / (1 - pore
space) = 1.3 g/cm³ / (1 - 0.45) = 2.36
g/cm³
4. Particle density = mass/volume = 150 g
/ 50 cm³ = 3.0 g/cm³
5. Pore space = (1 - bulk density/particle
density) = 1 - (1.5/2.6) = 0.423 (42.3%)
6. Volume of pore space = (1 - (bulk
density/particle density)) × volume = (1 -
1.4/2.7) × 400 cm³ = 185.19 cm³
7. Particle density = mass/volume = 400 g
/ 120 cm³ = 3.33 g/cm³
8. Particle density = mass/volume = 600 g
/ 250 cm³ = 2.4 g/cm³
9. Mass = particle density × volume = 2.5
Answers and Solutions g/cm³ × 300 cm³ = 750 g
10. Particle density = mass/volume = 300 g
Set 1: Bulk Density / 150 cm³ = 2.0 g/cm³

1. Bulk density = mass/volume = 420 g /

600 cm³ = 0.7 g/cm³
Set 3: Pore Space Calculate the weight of the soil slice and the
porosity, assuming the particle density is 2.65
1. Pore space = (1 - (bulk density / particle g/cm³.
density)) = (1 - 1.3/2.6) = 0.5 (50%)
2. Pore space = (1 - (bulk density / particle Problem 4
density)) × volume = (1 - 2.5/2.5) × 500
If a 6-hectare field has soil removed to a depth
cm³ = 200 cm³
of 10 cm, and the bulk density of the soil is 1.8
3. Volume of pore space = (1 - bulk g/cm³, what is the weight of the soil slice? What
density/particle density) × volume = (1 - is the porosity of the soil if the particle density is
1.4/2.7) × 1,000 cm³ = 481.48 cm³ 2.7 g/cm³?
4. Pore space = (1 - (bulk density / particle
density)) × volume = (1 - 2.5/2.5) × 400 Problem 5
cm³ = 160 cm³
5. Pore space = (1 - (1.2 / 2.6)) = 0.538 A 0.8-hectare field has soil excavated to a depth
of 15 cm. The bulk density is 1.5 g/cm³. What is
(53.8%)
the weight of the soil slice, and what is the
6. Volume of pore space = (1 - (bulk percentage porosity if the particle density is 2.65
density / particle density)) × volume = (1 g/cm³?
- 1.5/2.7) × 200 cm³ = 74.07 cm³
7. Percentage of pore space = (1 - (bulk Bulk Density
density / particle density)) × 100 = (1 -
1.3/2.5) × 100 = 48% Problem 1:
8. Pore space = (1 - (bulk density / particle A fresh soil sample weighs 400 g and has a
density)) × volume = (1 - 1.4/2.65) × 750 volume of 200 cc. After drying in an oven, the
cm³ = 283.02 cm³ weight of the sample is 250 g. What is the Bulk
9. Percentage of pore space = (1 - (bulk Density (BD)?
density / particle density)) × 100 = (1 -
1.6/2.8) × 100 = 42.86% Problem 2:
10. Volume of pore space = (1 - (bulk A soil sample weighs 500 g when freshly
density / particle density)) × volume = (1 collected and occupies a volume of 350 cc. After
- 1.4/2.7) × 1,000 cm³ = 481.48 cm³ drying, the soil sample weighs 350 g. Calculate
the Bulk Density (BD).
Problem 1
Problem 3:
A field of 1.5 hectares has soil excavated to a A soil sample weighs 250 g when fresh and has
depth of 12 cm. The bulk density of the soil is a volume of 150 cc. After oven drying, the
1.7 g/cm³. What is the weight of the soil slice? weight of the sample becomes 180 g. What is
Also, calculate the porosity of the soil if the the Bulk Density (BD)?
particle density is 2.65 g/cm³.
Problem 4:
Problem 2
A soil sample weighs 600 g when freshly
collected and occupies a volume of 400 cc. After
A 0.25-hectare area has soil dug to a depth of
30 cm. If the bulk density is 1.2 g/cm³, determine drying in an oven, the weight of the sample is
the weight of the soil slice. What is the 450 g. Find the Bulk Density (BD).
percentage porosity if the particle density is 2.55
g/cm³? Problem 5:
A fresh soil sample weighs 800 g and has a
Problem 3 volume of 500 cc. After being oven-dried, the
sample weighs 600 g. What is the Bulk Density
A field measuring 4 hectares has soil dug to a (BD)?
depth of 18 cm. The bulk density is 1.4 g/cm³.
Calculations and Answers Solution to Problem 5:

Solution to Problem 1: ● Fresh weight = 800 g

● Oven-dried weight = 600 g
● Fresh weight = 400 g ● Volume = 500 cc
● Oven-dried weight = 250 g
● Volume = 200 cc BD = Oven-dried weight / Volume
BD = 600 g / 500 cc
BD = Oven-dried weight / Volume BD = 1.2 g/cc
BD = 250 g / 200 cc
BD = 1.25 g/cc

Solution to Problem 2:

● Fresh weight = 500 g

● Oven-dried weight = 350 g
● Volume = 350 cc

BD = Oven-dried weight / Volume

BD = 350 g / 350 cc
BD = 1.0 g/cc

Solution to Problem 3:

● Fresh weight = 250 g

● Oven-dried weight = 180 g
● Volume = 150 cc

BD = Oven-dried weight / Volume

BD = 180 g / 150 cc
BD = 1.2 g/cc

Solution to Problem 4:

● Fresh weight = 600 g

● Oven-dried weight = 450 g
● Volume = 400 cc

BD = Oven-dried weight / Volume

BD = 450 g / 400 cc
BD = 1.125 g/cc