Soil Sampling

Taking Bulk Density Samples

If you are using the surface sample method

Soil Science Basics

Soil & the Environment

Working with soil

Soil & Students

Soil & Agriculture

1. Choose three locations close to where you performed your soil characterization protocol and remove vegetation and other material from the soil surface.

vegetation removed

2. At each location, push a can with a known volume into the surface of the soil. If necessary, wet the soil so that the can will go in easily. Stop when you can see some soil poking through the small hole in the bottom of the can.

can in soil

3. If it is difficult to push the can into the soil, place a piece of wood over the can and hit the wood with the hammer to spread the force of the hammer blow to all edges of the can at once.

pounding can

Back to Soil Science Education Home Page

Webmaster: Izolda Trakhtenberg, izolda@ltpmail.gsfc.nasa.gov
Information Contact: Izolda Trakhtenberg, izolda@ltpmail.gsfc.nasa.gov
Responsible Civil Servant: Dr. Elissa Levine, globe@ltpmail.gsfc.nasa.gov
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Last Updated: September 10, 2001