(a) Using specimens A, C\(_{1}\), C\(_{2}\), D, E and F; carry out a test of a chemical property of the specimen labelled A and present your report under the following headings:
(i) aim (ii) procedure (iii) observaton (iv) conclusion
(b) State two probable causes of the soil condition observed on Specimen A
(c) Štate four reasons why the experiment is important in agriculture.
Explanation
(a) (i) Aim: To determine soil PH/Reaction/aciditylalkaliníty.
(ii) Procedure: Wash a beaker and rinse using distilled water. Put some quantity of specimen A into the beaker, Add some water into specimen A in the beaker. Stir the Content of the beaker very well. Place on the table for few minutes. Dip the two litmus papers into the soil solution one at a time. Observe the change in colour of the litmus paper.
(iii) Observation: Red litmus changed to blue. Blue litmus remained unchanged.
(iv) Conclusion: The soil is alkaline/basic in nature.
(b) Probable reasons for the observed soil condition:
- Continuous alkaline fertilizer addition e.g. Potash.
- Chemical composition of parent rock.
- Over liming.
- Arid condition.
(c) Agricultural Importance of the Experiment:
- Enables farmers to determine soil PH.
- Type of crop to grow depends on the determined soil PH.
- Soil PH affects the survival of soil microbes.
- Soil PH affects the growth of planktons in fish ponds.
- Soil PH controls the availability of some soil plant nutrients.
- Helps in determining the fertilizer type to apply.