Porosity

Summary

Areas of Science

Geology

Difficulty

Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Credits

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Abstract

Soils are made of particles of different types and sizes. The space between particles is called pore space. Pore space determines the amount of water that a given volume of soil can hold. Porosity is the percentage of the total volume of soil that consists of pore space. Compare the porosity of different types of soil. Which types of soil hold the most water? Can you see this under a microscope?

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Careers

If you like this project, you might enjoy exploring these related careers:

Soil Scientist

Career Profile

Not all dirt is created equal. In fact, different types of soil can make a big difference in some very important areas of our society. A building constructed on sandy soil might collapse during an earthquake, and crops planted in soil that doesn't drain properly might become waterlogged and rot after a rainstorm. It is the job of a soil scientist to evaluate soil conditions and help farmers, builders, and environmentalists decide how best to take advantage of local soils. Read more

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General citation information is provided here. Be sure to check the formatting, including capitalization, for the method you are using and update your citation, as needed.

MLA Style

Science Buddies Staff. "Porosity." Science Buddies, 20 Nov. 2020, https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/Geo_p035/geology/porosity. Accessed 16 May 2022.

APA Style

Science Buddies Staff. (2020, November 20). Porosity. Retrieved from https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/Geo_p035/geology/porosity

Last edit date: 2020-11-20

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