What is the percentage water content of a soil sample which weighed 180g when fresh and 120g when oven dried?

Answer Details

To calculate the percentage water content of a soil sample, we need to know the weight of the water in the sample and the weight of the dry soil. The weight of the water can be calculated by subtracting the weight of the dry soil from the weight of the fresh soil. In this case, the weight of the water can be calculated as follows: Weight of water = Weight of fresh soil - Weight of dry soil = 180 g - 120 g = 60 g The weight of the water is 60g. To calculate the percentage water content, we divide the weight of the water by the weight of the fresh soil, and multiply the result by 100. Percentage water content = (Weight of water / Weight of fresh soil) x 100% = (60 g / 180 g) x 100% = 0.333 x 100% = 33.3% Therefore, the percentage water content of the soil sample is 33.3%. Therefore, the correct answer is 33.3%.