These answers correspond to questions 5 through 9 on Part 1 of the "Soil Experiment" worksheet. After students have completed Part 1 of the worksheet, discuss questions 5 through 9 in class, using these answers as a guide.

5. What would you predict about the percolation rate and water retention ability of Pinelands soils?

Water passes rapidly through the sandy soil and the surface soil dries quickly

6. What would happen to Pinelands soils after a light rain? a heavy rain?

Because of the Pinelands sandy soil, water from a heavy or a light rain is absorbed quickly into the soil and there is little runoff

7. What happens to rainfall that reaches the Pinelands forest floor?

The sandy soil functions like a sieve and allows water to pass quickly through

8. What would happen if toxic waste or polluted material were dumped onto the Pinelands soils?

Some of the polluted or toxic material would be filtered out by the sand, however, much of the material would leach quickly through the soil and contaminate the ground water supply

9. What are the advantages and/or drawbacks of Pinelands sandy soils through which water percolates (moves) rapidly?

Advantages of a sandy soil are little runoff, resulting in little water loss, and low levels of water erosion. Disadvantages include the soils limited ability to retain water for plant life, and the ability of pollutants to quickly move through the soil and into the water supply