CHEMIST

RY
ACIDITY AND
ALKALINITY OF
SOIL
NAME
CLASS
SCHOOL
ADVISOR

EJAY KUMAR A/L VEJAYA KUMAR

6 ATAS SAINS
SMK PADANG SAUJANA
CIKGU ROHBIAH

ABSTRACT
To Determine The Best Type Of Soil with The Ideal Acidity Or Alkalinity For
Agricultural Purpose
In this project,the best type of soil is determine by using the method of soil
pH determination.pH is a measure of alkalinity or acidity of a substance.The pH
of a soil range from 3.5 to 11.0.Research has found that plants grow best in the
pH range of 5.0 to 8.5.In soil with low pH,some nutrients may reach toxic levels
and the activity of soil microbes may be drastically reduced.Soil with higher pH
generally have lower availibility of micronutrients and some nutrients may not
be present at sufficent levels.For the experiment,many tye of soil had been
taken.Some of the soil sample are farm soil,riverbank soil,and peat soil.The pH
of the soil is determine by using pH meter,pH indicator,litmus paper,and
flocculating agent.The experiment were done outdoor and in the laboratory.

INTRODUCTION
SOIL PH
The definition of pH is
pH=-log[H+]
Since pH is a logaritmic scale,each concentration change of 1 unit means
that the hydrogen ion concertration has changed by an order of 10.In
reality,there are no free protons swimming around ,but rather the hydrogen
loosely associates with a water molecules,forming an hydroxonium ion H3O+.
Soil acidity and alkalinity are measured using the pH scale,which translates
into the presence of hydrogen.A reading of 4.5 or less indicates extremely acdic
or sour,soil while a rating 9.1 or higer is very alkaline,or sweet.Most nutrients
must be dissolved before plants can use them,and acidic soil processes them
more efficentlly.
The pH of most soil range from 3.5 to 11.0.The pH of best plant grows are
about the range 5.0 to 8.5.The soil pH is a measure of the active acidity of a soil
that is H+ concertration in the soil solution.As a dignostic tool,the measurment
of soil pH is a very simple and inexpensive test.H+ indicates whether the soil pH
is in the optimum range for plants or likely to be detrimental to plant growth,and
therefore whether liming material or acidifying agent are needed.Most plant will
grow over the range of pH of 1.2 units.However,all plants have an optimal pH
range.Management of soil pH is important,not because of the direct effect of
hydrogen ions,but to reduce the toxicity of other ions and increase the
availibility of plant nutrients.
Soil pH is usually measured in a moist soil or soil/water suspension of a
specific ratio.Commonly,ratio of 1volume soil:1 volume water are used.A pH
meter with electrod are used to measure the pH of soil/water suspension.

PH METER
The pH of a soil solution is determined by the solution coming in contact
with the electrode of a pH meter.The electrode is contructed of a special
brass,which is responsive to the change in the hydrogen ion potential.The
special brass is actually hydrated by the solution,and becomes a type of brass
gel.The difference in electric potential between the outside solution and the
inside solution generates the electrical signal which is read out in analog form.
For an accurate pH measurement to be obtained,several criteria must be
satisfie.The criterias are:

1:The electrode must be solvated.This mean that it has to be soaking in an

aqueous solution for any measurement being made.
2:The system of the electrode must be at equilibbrium.This takes into
account temperature and pressure.Obviously,all the solutions should be at
room temperature.
3:Carefully examine the electrode to use.The outer surface should be clean
use a damp towel with distilled water to clean it.

SUGARCANE PLANTS
Sugarcane is one of the several species of tall perennial true grasses of the
genus saccharum,tribe Andropogoneae,native to the warm temperate to tropical
regions of south asia,and used for sugar production.They have stout jointed
fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar,and measure two to six meter tall.All
sugarcane species interbreed and the major commercial cultivars are complex
hybrids
Sugarcane belongs to the grass family,an economically important seed plant
family that includes maize,wheat,rice,and sorrghum and many forage crops.the
main product of sugarcane is sucrose,which accumulates in the stalk
internodes.Sucrose extracted and purified in specialized mill factories is used as
raw material in human food industriesor is fermented to produce ethanol.Ethanol
is produced on a large scale by the Brazillian sugarcane industry

Sugarcane have an ideal temperature to grow.Optimum temperature for

sprouting of stem cuttings is 32-38 C.Optimum growth is archived with mean
daily temperature between 22-30C.In soil,sugarcane requires a well drained,
aerated soil.Compacted soils affect root penetration,water and nutrient
upttake.Suitable soil pH range between 5.0-8.5with optimal of 6.5.sugarcane is
moderatly sensitive to salinity.

BACKGROUND
Objective of this experiment is to determine the perfect type of soil with
ideal acidity and alkalinity for plantation of sugarcane plants.Acidity and
alklinity is choose because ph of the soil is important things in the well grows of
sugarcane plants.This experiment is carried out by using pH meter.Different
type of soil will have a different type of pH value.pH of soil is also influented by
human activities,nature effect and presence oof foriegn
substance.For
example,volcanic soil is infected by acid rain around the volcanic area,while
farm soil is infected by the use of fertelizer,and some riverbank soil are
influented by some polluted river water.This research will study the perfect soil
for the plantation of sugarcane plants.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

As we know,different type of plant need different value of pH grow.Without

ideal pH,the plants cant grow on a good status and some of the plants nutrients
will loss.In this experiment,corn plants need the pH value of to for a perfect
grows.Various type of soil have different value of pH.Which type of soil is
perfect to develope corn plantation?
AIM
to determine the perfect type of soil with ideal pH for the plantation of corn
plants
HYPOTESIS
Different type of soil have different value of pH
VARIABLES
Manipulated variables:type of soil
Responding variables:pH of soil
Constant variables:Amount of soil and water
SAMPLE

Three sample of soil from different places are taken for this experiment and
labelled as riverbank soil, farm soil, and peat soil.The value of pH is taken
using a pH meters.

METHODOLOGY

5.Procedures :
A.SAMPLING
*Sample bags are prepared using soil sample container or plastic bag.
*The plastic bags are labelled.
*The sample areas are identified based on soil colour,slote,texture,and
drainage.
*There are sveral ways of taking soil sample.Network of taking soil
sample is choosen.This are some of the network.

*The maps of the areas being tested is drawn.Each point is minimum 5m

from each other.
*A scope is used to dig a hole about 13cm depth.500cm3 of distilled
water is poured into the hole.The pH of the soil is measured after a
minutes using a soil pH meter.
*The soil had to be collected for other test.Before taking,first seive the
soil to remove the rocks and roots.Then a cupful of soil into the labelled
plastic bags.

D.SOIL ANALYSIS
OBSERVING THE SOIL

*The soil sample is observed of its chareteristic.

*Using a spatula,the soil was taken and put in the petri dish for
observation.About 7 scoop had been taken.
*Using a megnifine glass,the soil was observe.The colour and struture
was identified and record.
TESTING WITH PH INDICATOR

*Take a spatula of soil sample and put into a test tube

*Add a bit of distilled water to make a soil solution.
*Shake the solution for 30s to make sure the soil pH of soil disolve into
the water
*Wait for a minutes and took a strip of pH indicator and dip into the
solution.

*Take it of and observe the colour change of the pH indicator using the
scale provided
*Record the change of colours

TABULATION OF DATA
TABLE 1:FARM SOIL
POINT
1

COLOUR
TEXTURE
Yellowish
Hard
black
2
Grey
Soft
3
Grey
Soft
4
Dark brown
Clay
Distance within each point:7m

DRAINAGE
Medium

PH
6.6

Medium
Medium
High

6.7
6.7
6.5

DRAINAGE

PH

Temperature of surrounding: 310C

Location:Ulu Cheka
TABLE 2:RIVERBANK SOIL
POINT

COLOUR

TEXTURE

1
2
3
4

Light brown Sandy

Orange
Clay
Light brown Sandy
Light brown Sandy
Distance within each point: 10m

High
Very high
Medium
Medium

7.0
6.4
6.9
7.0

DRAINAGE
Medium
Medium
Low
Medium

PH
6.5
6.5
7.0
6.5

Temperature of surrounding: 300C

Location:Sungai Rengat
TABLE 3 : PEAT SOIL
POINT
COLOUR
TEXTURE
1
Black
Soft
2
Black
Soft
3
Dark brown Hard
4
Black
Soft
Distance within each checkpoint:8m
Temperature of surrounding:290C
Location:

SAMPLE OF PH FROM SUGARCANE FARM

POINT
1
2
3
4

COLOUR
Dark brown
Black
Brown
Black

TEXTURE
Soft
Rocky
Soft
Soft

Distance within the checkpoint:5m

Temperature of surrounding:300C
Location:Temin

DRAINAGE
Medium
Medium
Low
Medium

PH
7.0
6.5
6.5
6.5

ANALYSIS
From the data of the soil test,it can be identified which of the soil is suitable
for sugarcane plantations.According to the theory,sugarcane need some
conditions for a healthy grows.The conditions for a healthy sugarcane grows are:
Ph value between 5.0 to 8.5(6.5 is optimal)
Temperature of 22 to 300C
Drainage of medium

Using this theory,a test had been done in a sugarcane farm.The test shows a
positive result that the sugarcane planted in the farms is 80% follows the
conditions of the healthy sugarcane grows.In the farm,some of the area is not
match with the condition because different point have different soil chareteristic.

With the data from the farm,it was compared with the soil from three
different soil with various locations.In the comparations,it shows that a peat soil
from
is suitable to plant sugarcane.It indicates that the abandoned land
at
with the soil type of peat soil is suitable for sugarcane plantations.The
peat soil from the area have almost the same chareteristic with the soil from the
sugarcane farm.The pH,drainage,and the surrounding temperature is almost the
same.
The riverbank soil and the farm soil from Sungai Rengat and Ulu cheka,is
not suitable because some of the soil conditions are not suitable for the
sugarcane grows
Finally,from the test it can be conclude that the peat soil is the perfect soil to
develop the sugarcane plantations,because it almost have all the conditions for
healthy sgarcane grows either theoricaly and by comparing to the other
sugarcane plant.

CONCLUSION
In this project,the best type of soil is determine by using the method of soil
pH determination.pH is a measure of alkalinity or acidity of a substance.The pH
of a soil range from 3.5 to 11.0.Research has found that plants grow best in the
pH range of 5.0 to 8.5.In soil with low pH,some nutrients may reach toxic levels
and the activity of soil microbes may be drastically reduced.Soil with higher pH
generally have lower availibility of micronutrients and some nutrients may not
be present at sufficent levels.For the experiment,many tye of soil had been
taken.Some of the soil sample are farm soil,riverbank soil,and peat soil.
The ph of soil is taken by using the pH meter.In this test, other than pH the
drainage,colour and the texture of the soil and the surrounding temperature is
obtained.Data from the 3 different type of soil is compared to the theory of
perfect condition of sugarcane grow and example of data from a sugarcane

farm.The pH reading is raken in different point in a area to get the accurate pH

reading of the soil.
From the comparations,it can be conclude that the suitable soil for the
plantations of sugarcane is peat soil.Peat soil is suitable because it have almost
all the conditions for a healthy sugarcane grow either theorically and with the
example data from the sugarcane farms.Riverbank and farm soil is not suitable
because the conditions of soil is not aaccurate with the conditions for sugarcane
plants.
Finally from this project,the perfect soil for sugarcane plantations is area
with high amount of peat soil.

PREFERENCES
http//www.SERAS.com//standard
operating
procedures//soil
pH
determinations.
Penerbitan pelangi Snd.Bhd.//Pre u /Chemistry/stpm text/Term 1/Term 3
http//www.chemwikipedia.com/soil pH/43200
http//www.agrotech.com//soil pH/soil sampling/ways

PHOTOS