The students should measure 100 ml of water and pour it into cup A. Students should record the time it takes for 50 ml of water to drain into the beaker. Students should make observations about the appearance of the 50 ml of water recovered. Students should allow the water to drip for a total of 20-25 minutes and record the total volume of water recovered. Repeat the procedure for cups B, C, and D. Compare and discuss results. Have students calculate percolation rates and graph results.
Students can also determine water retention for each sample.
Use different soil types and mixtures. Compact the soil and repeat the experiment or ask the students to speculate how soil compaction might affect percolation. These strips can be purchased from most science supply companies or may be found locally. I have listed the brands that we use in the specific testing sections below. These tests can be easily performed by students.