Res. Agr. Eng., 2007, 53(1):34-38 | DOI: 10.17221/2133-RAE

Application of laser diffraction method for determination

M. Ryżak, A. Bieganowski, R.T. Walczak
Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lublin, Poland

Particle size distribution affects many physical soil properties and processes taking place in soil. There are many methods to determine the particle size distribution. The most frequently used are the sieve, sieve-pipette and sedimentation methods. Technological progress in electronics permitted a wide use of new methods of particle size distribution measurement in soil, e.g. the laser diffraction method. A comparison of particle size distribution obtained with the universally used areometer method (Cassagrande, modified by Prószynski) with results from the laser diffraction method for soil material received from grey-brown podzolic soil is presented in this work. The largest differences between the results were obtained for the smallest fraction determined with the areometer and laser diffraction methods. In a majority of other cases the slopes of interpolated straight lines were contained within the range of 0.81 / 1.09.

Keywords: soil particle size; determination of grain size distribution; laser diffraction method

Published: March 31, 2007  Show citation

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Ryżak M, Bieganowski A, Walczak RT. Application of laser diffraction method for determination. Res. Agr. Eng. 2007;53(1):34-38. doi: 10.17221/2133-RAE.
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