TITLE : PARTICLE DENSITY TEST.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Level 2 laboratory activities refer to the condition where only the problem is
guided and given. Students are required to find the ways & means and provide
the answers to the given assignment using the group creativity and
innovativeness. The activity will enable the students to appreciate independent
learning and prepare them for a much harder task of open ended laboratory
activities.

In this laboratory session, students will be introduced on how to determine the

particle density and specific gravity of soil.

2.0 OBJECTIVE

The objective of the test is:

 To determine the specific gravity of soil using density bottle.

3.0 BASIC CONCEPTS

There are three tests for the measurement of particle density. These have
different applications, which may be summarized as follows:

1. Density bottle method - for fine-grained soils

2. Gas jar method - for most soils including those containing gravel-sized
particles.

3. Pycnometer method - for use in a site laboratory on medium and coarse

grained soils
 The first two are the usual laboratory methods. The third is useful as a simple
on-site procedure where full laboratory facilities are not available and when a
result of lower accuracy is acceptable.

4.0 APPARATUS

 Density bottle with stopper

 Distilled water

 Filter funnel

 Desiccator

 Sand

5.0 PROCEDURES

1. The density bottle and stopper is cleaned and dried properly.

2. The empty density bottle with stopper is weighed and the mass is being
recorded (M1).

3. 20g - 30g of sand is added into the empty density bottle and weighed(M2).

4. The density bottle with sand then is poured with distilled water about ¾ to
soak the sand. Then, leaved it for 10 - 15 minutes.

5. Then, the density bottle with distilled water and sand is put in the desiccator
for 15 minutes.

6. After 15 minutes, the density bottle is taken out from the desiccator. Without
any entrapped bubble,the density bottle then filled completely with the
 distilled water and make sure the water that has been spilled out has been
wiped. Then weighed the density bottle (M3).

7. The density bottle then is cleaned carefully and dried properly.

8. The density bottle then is filled with distilled water until the bottle is full and
make sure no entrapped air bubbles in it.

9. The density bottle then is weighed(M4).

6.0 ANALYSIS AND DATA INTERPRETATION

WEIGHT TAKEN READING(g)

M1 (Mass of density bottle + stopper) 42.35

M2 (Mass of density bottle + stopper + 62.35

sand)

M3 (Mass of density bottle + full distilled 153.75

water + sand )

M4 ( Mass of density bottle + stopper + 141.70

full distilled water )
CALCULATIONS

 Mass of sand used (g) = M2－M1

= 62.35g－42.35g

= 20.0g

 Mass of water used (g) = M3－M2

= 153.75g－62.35g

= 91.40g

 Mass of water to fill = M4－M1

density bottle (g) = 141.70g－42.35g

= 99.35g

 Particle density, ρs = ( M2－M1) / (M4－M1) - (M3－M2)

ρs = ( 20.0g )

( 99.35g ) - ( 91.40g )

= ( 20.0g )

( 7.95g )

= 2.52g/cm³

 Specific gravity, Gs = ρs / ρw

* ρw = 1000 kg/m³ = 1.0 g/cm³

Gs = 2.52 g/cm³

1.0 g/cm³

= 2.52 g/cm³

7.0 DISCUSSION

 Specific gravity is the second most important parameter in soil mechanics. It is

the ratio of the unit weight or density of soil solids to the unit weight or density of
water. In this experiment, in this experiment we have conducted an experiment
that observed the specific gravity of sand. Based on the results, it clearly shown
that the specific gravity of the sandy soil is 2.667 g/cm³. This result shown that
the value is in the range of sand soil group.

 Actually the formula of particle density, ρs is defined as :

ρs = Gs ρw

Where Gs is the specific gravity of the sand which defined as :

Gs = mass of sand

mass of water displaced by sand

Since the density of water, ρw is taken as 1.0 g/cm³, so the value for ρs of the
sand can be calculated directly from the equation for Gs which meant that the
value is still the same but with the unit g/cm³.

 The density bottle with the stopper used in this experiment is specially for the
determination for the particle density of the fine soil.
8.0 CONCLUSION

The specific gravity of most common mineral found in soils fall within
range of 2.6 to 2.9. The specific gravity of sandy soil, which is mostly made of
quartz, may be estimated to be about 2.52, whereas for clayey and silty soils it
may vary from 2.6 to 2.9. Soil containing organic matter and porous particles
may have specific gravity values below 2.0, while soils having heavy substances
may have values above. As for our group, we end up with specific gravity values
about 2.52 g/cm³. the value fall into the average specific value range for sandy
soil.

Based on the experiment, data have been collected and being calculated to
obtain the value of particle density of the soil tested. Thus the particle density of
the soil tested is 2.52 g/cm³. Hence, satisfying the objective of the experiment
which is to determine the particle density by using density bottle.