This science experiment mocks soil erosion on a smaller scale. Learn about the physical makeup of grass and how it prevents soil erosion.

1. How Does Grass Prevent
Soil Erosion
This PowerPoint is part of
the Science Projects Series

2. Abstract

3. What Is Grass?
• Grass in the most
common name for the
Gramineae family of
plants
• There are more than
9,000 species of this
plant in the world.
• Grass is one of the only
flowering plants that do
not have colorful petals

4. Where is Grass?
• Grass can be found
in almost any
terrain around the
world
• Grass is found in
forests, tundra’s,
deserts, jungles, etc.

5. Ins and Outs of Grass
• Generally grass is
green because of the
green pigments inside
of it, known as
chlorophyll
• Through the process of
photosynthesis, the
chlorophyll helps
convert sunlight into
energy

6. Ins and Outs of Grass
• At the base of grass are
its roots. The roots grow
beneath the ground
• Grass roots are fibrous
(thread-like)
• They gather nutrients
and water to feed the
plant as well secure it in
place

7. Ins and Outs of Grass
• Next are the culms,
also known as grass
stems
• Culms are normally
hollow until you reach
the node – solid joints
connecting stem
section together

8. Ins and Outs of Grass
• Each grass leaf is made of
two parts: the upper part is
the blade and the lower
part is the sheath
• The blade is made up of
growth tissue; therefore, if
it is cut it will continue to
grow
• The sheath supports the
blade and wraps around
the stem

9. Ins and Outs of Grass
• There are two main types
of stems: stolons and
rhizomes
• Stolons grow above the
ground and rhizomes grow
below the ground
• New grass grows from
stolons and rhizomes,
which nurture the new
plant until it is strong
enough to survive on its
own

10. Why is Grass Important?
• Grass is a major food
source for people and
animals – Rice and corn
both grow from grass
plants
• In some parts of the
world, grass plants, such as
bamboo, play an important
role in construction
• Grass is also used to make
products such as
sugar, bread, and plastic

11. Erosion Prevention
• Erosion is when Earth’s
substances are broken
down and carried
away by means of
wind or water
• Fibrous roots are what
help to hold soil
together so that wind
and water do not
easily erode the soil

12. Purpose
To determine how grass affects soil erosion

13. Materials
• Six 12-ounce paper cups
• Soil
• One marker
• Tap water
• One pencil
• Two 6x2 inch pieces of
corrugated cardboard
• Shallow cookie tray (or
plastic serving tray)
• Grass clippings

14. Procedure

15. Procedure
1. Fill two paper cups with soil
1. Fill three of the paper cups with water
1. With the pencil, make six small holes in the
bottom of one of the remaining paper cups –
use the marker to label the cup A
1. Position the cookie tray on a flat surface
outdoors

16. Procedure
5. Place the piece of cardboard in the cookie tray so that
the narrow ends of the cardboard are on the edge of
the tray
6. Pour one of the cups of soil on the cardboard and
spread it into a thin layer
7. Hold up cup A approximately 6 inches above the soil
on the cardboard – while in this position pour water
from one of the cups into cup and move cup A back
and forth across the soil as if mimicking rain

17. Procedure
8. Once the water has stopped running off the
soil covered cardboard, examine how much
soil in the tray
9. Now remove the cardboard and use a second
cup of water to wash the soil out of the tray
10.Repeat step 4, 5, and 6, covering the
cardboard with the other cup of soil

18. Procedure
11. Cover the soil on the cardboard with a thick
layer of grass clippings
12. Repeat steps 7 and 8

19. Results
• The dirt was washed off the cardboard into
the pan
• More soil is washed away from the uncovered
dirt layer than from the layer of soil with grass
covering it

20. Conclusion
• The falling water from the cup acted as rain,
which in real life erodes soil by moving it from
one place to another
• When the soil is covered with a layer of grass
clippings, less soil is eroded
• The grass clippings act like grass blades, which
actually provide a protective cover for soil

21. Additional Info
• This experiment can
also be substituted
with wind instead of
water by using a
normal or handheld
fan

22. For more information on topics like this visit our
Resource page at www.Microempowering.org