Slurry and farmyard manure are two sources of nutrients for crops. (i) State two differences between the composition of slurry and farmyard manure. (ii) Slurry may cause water pollution. State two steps farmers may take to reduce the incidence of water pollution by slurry. (b) 18-6-12 is a compound fertiliser used on farms. (i) State the principal elements that 18-6-12 provides. (ii) State one advantage and one disadvantage of using artificial fertilisers. (iii) In the case of one named element in 18-6-12, state its role in plants. (c) Describe an experiment to find the percentage (%) of water in a soil sample.

Leaving Cert Agricultural Science Fertilisers, Pollution & The Environment: Slurry and farmyard manure are t

Slurry and farmyard manure are two sources of nutrients for crops - Leaving Cert Agricultural Science - Question a - 2018

Question a

Slurry and farmyard manure are two sources of nutrients for crops. (i) State two differences between the composition of slurry and farmyard manure. (ii) Slurry may... show full transcript

Worked Solution & Example Answer:Slurry and farmyard manure are two sources of nutrients for crops - Leaving Cert Agricultural Science - Question a - 2018

Step 1

State two differences between the composition of slurry and farmyard manure.

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Answer

Water Content: Slurry contains more water compared to farmyard manure, which has less water content.
Organic Matter: Farmyard manure is rich in organic matter, while slurry is relatively low in organic matter.

Step 2

State two steps farmers may take to reduce the incidence of water pollution by slurry.

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Answer

Farmers should avoid spreading slurry during wet weather to prevent runoff into water sources.
They can store slurry in leak-proof tanks and use an injection system for application to minimize contact with surface water.

Step 3

State the principal elements that 18-6-12 provides.

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Answer

The principal elements provided by 18-6-12 are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K).

Step 4

State one advantage and one disadvantage of using artificial fertilisers.

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Answer

Advantage: Artificial fertilisers are specially formulated to meet the nutrient needs of crops, allowing for increased efficiency in crop growth. Disadvantage: Overuse of artificial fertilisers can harm the soil structure and lead to nutrient runoff, causing environmental harm.

Step 5

In the case of one named element in 18-6-12, state its role in plants.

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Answer

Nitrogen (N) is crucial for plant growth as it is a key component of chlorophyll, which is essential for photosynthesis. It also helps in the formation of proteins and nucleic acids.

Step 6

Describe an experiment to find the percentage (%) of water in a soil sample.

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Answer

Equipment Setup: Gather a balance, a dry container, and a fresh soil sample.
Initial Weighing: Weigh the dry container and record its mass.
Soil Addition: Place the fresh soil sample in the container and reweigh it to get the combined mass.
Drying Process: Heat the container with the soil in an oven until all the moisture evaporates, then allow it to cool.
Final Weighing: Weigh the container with the dried soil and record this mass.
Calculation: Calculate the mass of water lost using the formula:

$ext{mass of water} = ext{mass of fresh soil} - ext{mass of dried soil}$

Then, calculate the percentage of water in the soil sample using the formula:

$ext{Percentage of water} = rac{ ext{mass of water}}{ ext{mass of fresh soil}} imes 100$

Slurry and farmyard manure are two sources of nutrients for crops - Leaving Cert Agricultural Science - Question a - 2018

Worked Solution & Example Answer:Slurry and farmyard manure are two sources of nutrients for crops - Leaving Cert Agricultural Science - Question a - 2018

State two differences between the composition of slurry and farmyard manure.

State two steps farmers may take to reduce the incidence of water pollution by slurry.

State the principal elements that 18-6-12 provides.

State one advantage and one disadvantage of using artificial fertilisers.

In the case of one named element in 18-6-12, state its role in plants.

Describe an experiment to find the percentage (%) of water in a soil sample.

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