Question

An undisturbed core of soil at field capacity was taken from a field site had a wet weight of 420 g. The following information was measured in the lab. The oven dry wt of the soil = 345 g Bulk Density = 1.15 g/cm3 What is the moisture content of the soil on a volume basis (volumetric water content Theta v)

Answer 1

Total volume of soil sample = initial mass of soil / density

                                    = 420 g / 1.15 g cm^-3 = 365.22 cm³

Final volume of soil after oven dry = 345 g / 1.15 g cm^-3 = 300.0 cm³

Volume of water in soil = initial volume of soil – final volume of soil after oven dry

                                    = 365.22 cm³ - 300.0 cm³ = 65.22 cm³

Now,

Volumetric water content = volume occupied by water / total volume of the soil sample

                                    = 65.22 cm³ / 365.22 cm³ = 0.18

Thus, Volumetric water content of given soil sample = 0.18