Get Financial Accounting Tools for Business Decision-Making Canadian 7th Edition Kimmel Solutions Manual free all chapters
Get Financial Accounting Tools for Business Decision-Making Canadian 7th Edition Kimmel Solutions Manual free all chapters
Get Financial Accounting Tools for Business Decision-Making Canadian 7th Edition Kimmel Solutions Manual free all chapters
com
https://testbankdeal.com/product/financial-accounting-tools-
for-business-decision-making-canadian-7th-edition-kimmel-
solutions-manual/
OR CLICK HERE
DOWNLOAD NOW
https://testbankdeal.com/product/financial-accounting-tools-for-
business-decision-making-canadian-7th-edition-kimmel-test-bank/
testbankdeal.com
https://testbankdeal.com/product/financial-accounting-tools-for-
business-decision-making-canadian-5th-edition-kimmel-solutions-manual/
testbankdeal.com
https://testbankdeal.com/product/financial-accounting-tools-for-
business-decision-making-7th-edition-kimmel-test-bank/
testbankdeal.com
https://testbankdeal.com/product/foundations-of-education-12th-
edition-ornstein-test-bank/
testbankdeal.com
Foundations in Strategic Management 6th Edition Harrison
Test Bank
https://testbankdeal.com/product/foundations-in-strategic-
management-6th-edition-harrison-test-bank/
testbankdeal.com
https://testbankdeal.com/product/exploring-geology-3rd-edition-
reynolds-solutions-manual/
testbankdeal.com
https://testbankdeal.com/product/human-resource-management-
global-13th-edition-mondy-test-bank/
testbankdeal.com
https://testbankdeal.com/product/statistics-for-management-and-
economics-11th-edition-keller-test-bank/
testbankdeal.com
https://testbankdeal.com/product/calculus-3rd-edition-rogawski-test-
bank/
testbankdeal.com
Advanced Financial Accounting 9th Edition Baker Test Bank
https://testbankdeal.com/product/advanced-financial-accounting-9th-
edition-baker-test-bank/
testbankdeal.com
Kimmel, Weygandt, Kieso, Trenholm, Irvine, Burnley Financial Accounting, Seventh Canadian Edition
CHAPTER 7
INTERNAL CONTROL AND CASH
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Explain the primary components of an internal control system, including its
control activities and limitations.
2. Apply the key control activities to cash receipts and payments.
3. Prepare a bank reconciliation.
4. Explain the reporting and management of cash.
Legend: The following abbreviations will appear throughout the solutions manual file.
LO Learning objective
BT Bloom's Taxonomy
K Knowledge
C Comprehension
AP Application
AN Analysis
S Synthesis
E Evaluation
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
1. The five primary components of a good internal control system include the
control environment, risk assessment, control activities, information and
communication, and monitoring.
LO 1 BT: C Difficulty: S Time: 3 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
LO 1 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 5 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
4. The five control activities that apply to most companies are assignment of
responsibility, segregation of duties, documentation, physical controls, and
review and reconciliation.
LO 1 BT: K Difficulty: S Time: 3 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
LO 1 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 10 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001, cpa-t004 CM: Reporting and Audit
LO 1 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 5 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
LO 1 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 5 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
10. Electronic funds transfers normally result in better internal control since no
cash or cheques are handled by employees, thereby limiting the possibility
of misappropriation. However, controls over EFT payments (and
collections) do need to be put in place.
LO 2 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 5 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
12. Cash registers are visible to the customer. Thus, they prevent the sales
clerk from ringing up a lower amount for the price and pocketing the
difference. In addition, the customer receives an itemized receipt, and the cash register tape
LO 2 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 5 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
LO 2 BT: C Difficulty: C Time: 10 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
15. An employee who has no other responsibilities that relate to cash should
LO 2,3 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 5 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
16. A bank contributes significantly to internal control over cash because it:
(1) safeguards cash on deposit, (2) minimizes the amount of cash that
must be kept on hand, and (3) provides another record of all bank
transactions.
LO 2,3 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 5 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
17. The lack of agreement between the cash balances may be due to either:
(1) Timing differences—caused by recording a transaction on the
company’s books in one month and the bank recording it another
month (example – outstanding cheque) or the bank recording a
transaction first which the company will record after completing the
bank reconciliation (example – a bank service charge, or an NSF
cheque).
(2) Errors—made by either the company or the bank. For example, a
cheque for $110 is recorded by the depositor at $101.
LO 3 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 10 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
18. (a) An NSF cheque is a cheque issued by a customer that was recorded
by the company when it was received and then deposited in the bank
only to discover later that the customer did not have the funds to
cover the cheque payment.
(b) An NSF cheque makes the bank balance lower than the book
balance and requires the book balance to be updated. Consequently,
it is deducted from the balance per books.
(c) An NSF cheque results in an entry in the company’s books, as a debit
to Accounts Receivable and a credit to Cash (assuming the cheque
deposited was a collection on account). The debit to Accounts
Receivable includes any additional charge that the bank may add for
their services with respect to the NSF cheque or the company may
add for late payment.
LO 3 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 10 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
19. Since the March cheque has still not cleared the bank at April 30, it must
be included in the April 30th bank reconciliation as an outstanding cheque.
LO 3 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 5 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
LO 3 BT: C Difficulty: C Time: 10 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
21. Cash includes cash on hand and cash in bank accounts. Cash equivalents
include short-term, highly liquid held-for-trading investments less any bank
overdrafts. Together, these two amounts combine and are reported as
cash and cash equivalents in the current assets section of the statement of
financial position.
LO 3 BT: K Difficulty: S Time: 5 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
22. Restricted cash is not available for general use as it is restricted for a
special purpose. When the restricted purpose is of a long-term nature, the
restricted cash is reported as a non-current asset. If it is expected to be
used within one year of the statement of financial position date, it would be
classified as a current asset and disclosed in the financial statements.
Compensating balances are minimum cash balances which lenders
specify that a borrower must maintain in the borrower’s bank account to
provide support for a loan. A compensating balance should be reported as
a non-current asset and the details of the loan conditions should be
disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.
LO 4 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 5 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
23. The line of credit facility of $16 million does not represent a liability until
Brandon Corporation borrows (or draws) money under the line of credit.
In the notes to the financial statements, the terms of the line of credit and
its available limit of $16 million should be reported to demonstrate how
the business is well positioned to deal with future cash flow demands or
to take advantage of investment opportunities.
LO 4 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 5 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
24. The basic principles of cash management are: (1) increase the speed of
collection on receivables, (2) keep inventory levels low, (3) delay payment
of liabilities, (4) plan the timing of major expenditures, (5) invest idle cash,
and (6) prepare a cash budget. The first three principles are ways to
increase cash on hand. The last three principles focus on making sure
management understands when cash balances will be high so that
investment income can be earned from idle cash and when cash
balances will be low so that bank loans or other financing can be
obtained.
LO 4 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 5 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
25. Having too much cash on hand may hinder a business’ performance if the
cash cannot be used effectively and therefore not give a proper return to
the shareholders. Effective uses of cash can include upgrading existing
property, plant, and equipment, expanding the business, paying down
debt, repurchasing shares, or paying dividends.
LO 4 BT: C Difficulty: C Time: 5 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
Assignment of Responsibility One person operates the cash register at the exit
of the parking garage.
LO 1 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 15 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
LO 1 BT: K Difficulty: S Time: 5 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
LO 1,2 BT: K Difficulty: S Time: 5 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
1. Documentation
2. Review and reconciliation
3. Physical controls
4. Assignment of responsibility
5. Segregation of duties
6. Physical controls
LO 1,2 BT: K Difficulty: M Time: 5 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
1. Bank – 7. Book +
2. NA 8. Bank –
3. Bank + 9. Book –
4. Book – 10. Book –
5. Bank + 11. Bank –
6. Book – 12. Book +
LO 3 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 15 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
LO 3 BT: AN Difficulty: M Time: 15 min. AACSB: Analytic CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
LO 3 BT: AN Difficulty: M Time: 15 min. AACSB: Analytic CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
(a) Kashechewan should correct its books for the error in recording the
cheque by reducing cash by $90 ($659 – $569).
LO 3 BT: AN Difficulty: M Time: 15 min. AACSB: Analytic CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
June 30, reconciled cash balance per bank reconciliation ............... $18,920
Add: Cash receipts in July ............................................................... 21,700
Less: Cash disbursements in July ................................................... 24,300
July 31, unreconciled cash balance ................................................. $16,320
LO 3 BT: AP Difficulty: M Time: 10 min. AACSB: Analytic CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
LO 3 BT: AP Difficulty: M Time: 10 min. AACSB: Analytic CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
LO 3 BT: AP Difficulty: M Time: 5 min. AACSB: Analytic CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
Ouellette Ltée should report the cash in the bank, the payroll bank account, and
the cash register floats as cash. The held-for-trading investments would be
reported as cash equivalents because they mature within 90 days. Cash and
cash equivalents are recorded as a current asset. Assuming the restricted cash
is not expected to be used during the next year, the restricted cash for the plant
expansion should be reported as a non-current asset. The compensating
balance should also be reported as a non-current asset and disclosed in the
notes.
LO 4 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 10 min. AACSB: Analytic CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
(a)
Cash in savings account $22,000
Less compensating balance 5,000 $17,000
Cash on hand 1,700
Cash in chequing account 14,000
Cash reported as a current asset $32,700
(b)
Compensating balance reported as non-current asset
and disclosed in the notes. 5,000
Postdated cheques received from customers of $1,000 are not yet valid and
represent underlying current assets of accounts receivable.
LO 4 BT: AP Difficulty: M Time: 10 min. AACSB: Analytic CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
SOLUTIONS TO EXERCISES
EXERCISE 7-1
(a) (b)
Control Strength or Weakness Suggested Improvements
LO 1 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 20 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
EXERCISE 7-2
1. (a) It is possible to detect this type of fraud by comparing the amount of
inventory consumed during the evening with the sales that were
recorded in cash registers.
(b) This fraud can be prevented by segregating the duties of those
individuals handling the drinks to those individuals having access to
the cash register. If additional staff is not available, the floor
supervisor should keep a close eye on the bartender or inventory
could be counted once a day.
2. (a) It is possible to detect this type of fraud as the bottles of liquor sold
to establishments are not the same as those sold at a liquor store. A
special label is attached, which can be detected at the end of the
shift. As well, if the additional empty bottles are on hand at the end
of the shift, when the inventory consumed (including the bartender’s
bottle) at the end of the bartender’s shift is compared to sales, a
discrepancy will be noticed.
(b) This fraud can be prevented by segregating the duties of those
individuals handling the drinks to those individuals having access to
the cash register. If additional staff is not available, the floor
supervisor should keep a close eye on the bartender and do a bottle
count at the end of the shift.
3. (a) It is possible to detect this type of fraud if someone notices that the
number of appointments and services given by the spa does not
reconcile to the revenue deposited in the bank account for the day.
Most businesses of this nature will have someone comparing the
bank deposit slips with the appointment schedule (often the
schedule will be printed off a day or two prior to the scheduled date).
(b) This fraud can be prevented by segregating the duties of those
individuals handling the appointments, to those handing the cash,
and again to those individuals making the bank deposit. If additional
staff is not available, the owner of the spa should at least make the
bank deposit and require that the scheduling software not allow
appointment changes on the day of the appointment.
EXERCISE 7-3
(a) (b)
Recommended
Weakness Control Activity Improvement
5. Some sales will not be Documentation and All sales should be entered in
recorded so that they can be physical controls the cash register to provide
independently verified later; evidence the transaction has
cash is not adequately occurred. In addition, the
protected from theft. loose change box should be
locked to keep it safe until the
funds are deposited.
LO 1,2 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 20 min. AACSB: Analytic CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
EXERCISE 7-4
(a) (b)
Recommended
Weakness Control Activity Improvement
LO 1,2 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 20 min. AACSB: Analytic CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
EXERCISE 7-5
(a)
August 31 reconciled cash balance per bank reconciliation ............. $ 34,780
Add: (4) Cash deposits in September ............................................. 199,680
Less: (1) Cheques issued ................................................ $176,978
(2) Salaries deposited to employee accounts ......... 39,170
(3) Monthly EFT payment for rent ........................... 2,600 218,748
September, unreconciled cash balance ............................................ $ 15,712
(b) None of the above items would be included in the bank reconciliation as
they are included in the starting (unreconciled) cash balance and already
have been recorded by the company.
LO 3 BT: AP Difficulty: M Time: 10 min. AACSB: Analytic CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
EXERCISE 7-6
EXERCISE 7-7
LO 3 BT: AP Difficulty: M Time: 20 min. AACSB: Analytic CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
EXERCISE 7-8
(a)
NEOPOLITAN LTD.
Bank Reconciliation
July 31
LO 3 BT: AP Difficulty: M Time: 25 min. AACSB: Analytic CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
EXERCISE 7-9
EXERCISE 7-10
(a) Items that are considered cash but not cash equivalents would include:
1. Currency and coin $ 123
2. Royal Bank chequing account 4,325
3. Royal Bank savings account 5,000
5. Undeposited April customer cheques 750
7. Over-the-counter receipts ($1,735 + $1,230) 2,965
9. Cash register floats 500
Total cash $13,663
(b) 4. The $25,000 government treasury bill is considered a cash equivalent
because it matures within 90 days and the value at which it will
mature at is certain.
(c) Cash and cash equivalents = $13,663 [from (a)] + $25,000 = $38,663
(d) 6. Post-dated cheque—Accounts Receivable; Statement of Financial Position
8. IOU from company receptionist—Advances to Employees; Statement
of Financial Position
LO 4 BT: AN Difficulty: M Time: 20 min. AACSB: Analytic CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
EXERCISE 7-11
Suggestions to improve cash management practices for Tory, Hachey, and
Wedunn:
1. Prepare a cash budget.
2. Adopt a time docketing accounting system that will track work performed
on files for individual clients.
3. Invoice clients monthly as work progresses using the accounting records
established for docketing time.
4. To the extent practicable, ask clients for retainers before work on files
begins. Use the retainers received to apply payments for monthly invoices
sent to clients.
5. When retainers are used up, request additional retainers until the case is
completed.
6. Establish an operating line of credit with the bank for day-to-day
operations.
7. Arrange a non-current loan for renovations and equipment with repayment
terms structured to coincide with expected future cash inflows.
8. Negotiate terms with suppliers that allow for delayed payments.
9. To the extent necessary, obtain additional investments from the three
lawyers to ensure payment to suppliers and employees are made on time.
LO 4 BT: E Difficulty: C Time: 25 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS
PROBLEM 7-1A
Review and reconciliation Cash counts are made by the manager at the
end of each cashier’s shift. Daily comparisons
are made by the head cashier and accounting
department of cash received, deposited, and
recorded.
1. Instead of tearing the tickets, the usher could return the tickets to the
cashier who could resell them, and the two could divide the cash.
2. The cashier could issue a lower priced ticket than paid for and the
usher would admit the customer. The difference between the ticket
issued and the cash received could be divided between the usher and
cashier.
LO 1,2 BT: C Difficulty: M Time: 30 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
PROBLEM 7-2A
Fred signs cheques and prepares the Someone who does not record
bank reconciliation. Fred could write a cash transactions or has
cheque to himself and cover it up in the access to cash and cheques
bank reconciliation and/or through should prepare the bank
journal entries. reconciliation. If this is not
possible, then one of the
owners should either prepare or
at least review and approve the
reconciliation.
LO 1,2 BT: AN Difficulty: C Time: 30 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
PROBLEM 7-3A
1. No segregation of duties between receiving the The duties of receiving cash and
cash and admitting students to the lessons. The admitting students should be
instructor could admit students for free or charge assigned to separate individuals.
extra and pocket the difference or report fewer
students and pocket the extra money.
4. All programmers have access to the accounting Access to the accounting records
software which could provide unauthorized should be restricted and
changes to the accounting records (such as wage protected with password or
rates). biometric restrictions.
5. Eliminating receiving reports and purchase orders Receiving reports and purchase
causes problems when invoices from suppliers are orders should be reinstated.
received. Accountants will not be able to verify if
the invoice pertains to items that have actually
been received or approved. Incorrect or fictitious
invoices may be paid or unauthorized orders made.
LO 1,2 BT: AN Difficulty: M Time: 40 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
PROBLEM 7-4A
No record was kept of which students Roger should have kept a record of
took tickets to sell or how many they took which tickets were issued to each
so there is no way of knowing if tickets student for resale. (Note: This
were given away for free and how many problem could have been largely
tickets were actually sold. avoided if the tickets had been sold
at the door on the day of the dance.)
There was no control over unsold tickets. Students should have been required
This deficiency made it possible for to return the unsold tickets to Roger
students to sell tickets, keep the cash, as well as the cash. In each case,
and tell Roger that they had disposed of the students should have been
the unsold tickets. issued a receipt for the cash they
turned in and the tickets they
returned.
Did not receive a receipt from Obnoxious A receipt should have been obtained
Al. Without a receipt, there is no way to from Obnoxious Al.
verify how much Obnoxious Al was
actually paid. For example, it is possible
that he was only paid $100 and that
Roger took the rest.
Inadequate control over the cash box. Only Roger should have had
access to the key and disbursed
funds when necessary for
purchases.
Praveen Patel counted the funds, made Roger should have counted the
out the deposit slip, and took the funds to funds, with someone observing him.
the bank. Praveen could have taken some Then he could have made out the
of the money. deposit slip and had Praveen
deposit the funds.
Sara Wu was collecting tickets and There should have been one
receiving cash for additional tickets sold. person selling tickets at the door
and a second person collecting
tickets. The tickets collected times
the price per ticket could then be
compared to the cash collected.
Net cash receipts were less than A final reconciliation should have
anticipated. been performed between cash on
hand, ticket sales, and purchase
receipts.
LO 1,2 BT: AN Difficulty: C Time: 50 min. AACSB: None CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
PROBLEM 7-5A
The salaries are not a reconciling item because they were recorded by
both the bank and the company.
LO 3 BT: AP Difficulty: M Time: 40 min. AACSB: Analytic CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
PROBLEM 7-6A
PROBLEM 7-7A
(a) February 28, reconciled cash balance per bank reconciliation $17,029
Add: Cash receipts in March.................................................... 9,249
Less: Cash disbursements in March ........................................ 7,912
March 31, unreconciled cash balance ..................................... $18,366
(d)
YAP LTD.
Bank Reconciliation
March 31
LO 3 BT: AP Difficulty: M Time: 50 min. AACSB: Analytic CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
PROBLEM 7-8A
(a)
October 31, reconciled cash balance per bank reconciliation ....... $23,812
Add: Cash receipts in November .................................................. 21,438
Less: Cash disbursements in November ...................................... 30,968
November 30, unreconciled cash balance .................................... $14,282
30 Accounts Receivable............................................. 18
Cash ............................................................. 18
LO 3 BT: AP Difficulty: M Time: 50 min. AACSB: Analytic CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
PROBLEM 7-9A
(a) and (b) Cash and cash equivalents (reported in Current Assets section)
Cash:
1. Cash on hand ............................................................... $ 2,920
2. Commercial bank savings account............................... 57,800
Commercial bank chequing account ............................ 25,000
U.S. bank account (Canadian equivalent) .................... 27,000
Total cash ............................................................................... 112,720
Cash equivalents:
5. Government of Canada Bond....................................... 50,000
Total cash and cash equivalents ............................................. $162,720
LO 4 BT: AN Difficulty: M Time: 20 min. AACSB: Analytic CPA: cpa-t001 CM: Reporting
Figure 21.
Method of Heinrich.
MOVEMENT OF WATER THROUGH SOILS:
LYSIMETRY.
The figures given in the last column of the table are computed from the
absolute dry weights of the upper three feet of soil as determined in a locality
some rods from the place of experiment, and are therefore only approximations,
but the error due to this cause is certainly small. It will be seen that while only
two pounds of water to the square foot were added to the surface, the upper six
inches contained 2.87 pounds per square foot more than before the water was
added, and the second six inches contained 0.199 pound more, and this too in
the face of the fact that the evaporation per square foot from a tray sitting on a
pair of scales close by, was 0.428 pound during the interval under consideration.
Similar experiments were made by taking the samples of soil at 5.30 P. M. in one-
foot sections down to four feet, at four equally distant places along the diagonal
of a square, six by six feet, and having the ground sprinkled. At the same time
four similar sets of samples were taken on lines vertical to each of the sides of the
square but four feet distant from them. The amount of water the soil contained
was then determined, and at 11.30 A. M., nineteen hours later, another series of
samples was taken at points about four inches distant from the last and the
amount of water determined with the result given below.
Translation of Water Occasioned by Wetting the Surface.
Depth of WET AREA. AREA NOT WET.
samples. Second
Before wetting. After wetting. First samples. samples.
Pounds Pounds Pounds Pounds
of of of of
Per water Per water Per water Per water
cent per cent per cent per cent per
of cubic of cubic of cubic of cubic
water. foot. water. foot. water. foot. water. foot.
0–12
inches 16.86 11.78 20.15 14.06 17.72 12.38 18.27 12.75
12–24 „ 17.76 15.79 19.71 17.52 19.18 17.05 19.94 17.72
24–36 „ 16.76 14.73 17.72 15.58 16.97 14.92 17.52 15.40
36–48 „ 15.01 14.03 16.47 15.40 15.49 14.48 15.16 14.17
Averages 16.59 14.08 18.51 15.64 17.34 14.71 17.71 15.01
Total
amount of
water 56.33 62.56 58.83 60.04
Amount
of change +6.23 +1.21
The above data show sufficiently well the method of investigation to be
pursued in studies of this kind.
165. Capillary Movement of Water.—The method of investigation
proposed by King[114] consists in taking samples of soil at intervals of one, two,
three, or four feet in depth, and determining the amount of moisture in each in
connection with the amount of rain-fall during the period. The quantity of water
contained in a given soil, at various depths and on different dates, is shown in the
following table:
Depth in Date. Per cent Pounds per cubic Increase or
feet. water. foot. decrease.
Pounds per cubic
foot.
1 March 24.33 16.98
8th
1 April 22.37 15.61 –1.37
18th
2 March 15.80 14.05
8th
2 April 21.64 19.24 +5.19
18th
3 March 11.16 9.81
8th
3 April 16.24 14.27 +4.46
18th
4 March 7.87 7.36
8th
4 April 11.19 10.46 +3.10
18th
The rain-fall during the interval was 4.18 inches, equal to 21.77 pounds per
square foot.
166. Lateral Capillary Flow.—To determine the lateral capillary flow of
water in a soil the following method, used by King[115] may be employed:
A zinc lined tray, six by six feet in area and eight inches deep, is filled with a
soil well packed. In one corner of this tray a section of five inches of unglazed
drainage tile, having its lower end broken and jagged, is set and the dirt well
filled in round it. By means of a Mariotte bottle water is constantly maintained in
the bottom of this tile, three-quarters of an inch deep, so that it will flow laterally
by capillary action into the adjacent soil, the object being to determine the extent
and rate of capillary flow laterally.
The water content of the soil is determined at the time of starting the
experiment, on the circumferences of circles described with the tile as a center,
the distance between the circles being one foot. At stated periods, usually at
intervals of one day, the content of moisture is again determined at the same
points. The investigations show that the lateral movement of water in the soil is
not rapid enough to extend much beyond three feet in thirty-one days, for
beyond that distance the soil was found to be drier than at the beginning of the
experiment. A record is to be kept of the amount of water delivered to the soil by
weighing the supply bottle at intervals, and the rates given at which the soil takes
up the water in grams per hour and pounds per day. Also the amount of flow per
square foot of soil section together with the mean daily evaporation should be
noted. The mean flow per foot of soil section is computed on the assumption that
the outer face of the zone of completely saturated soil is the delivering surface. In
King’s work this point, as nearly as could be determined, was twelve inches from
the corner of the tray and hence the figures at best can only be regarded as
approximations. The method of stating results is shown in the following table:
Date. No. Total mean, Total mean, Mean daily flow Mean daily
of hourly flow, daily flow, per square foot, evaporation,
days. grams. pounds. pounds. pounds.
Jan. 28 5 70.70 3.73 2.38
to
Feb. 2
Feb. 2–7 5 85.98 4.54 2.91
Feb. 7– 5 79.33 4.19 2.64
12
Feb. 12– 5 79.41 4.19 2.64 0.598
17
Feb. 17– 5 70.79 3.74 2.38 0.534
22
Feb. 22– 6 59.89 3.16 2.01 0.451
28
Feb. 28 6 60.74 3.21 2.04 0.458
to
March
6
Mar. 6– 7 60.37 3.14 2.00 0.448
13
Means 2.38 0.498
From this table it will be seen that the flow of water in the soil varied in rate,
being slower during the first five days than in the succeeding fifteen days. After
twenty days the flow dropped again to the beginning rate and then fell below, but
remained quite constant during the following nineteen days. For the sake of
uniformity in units of measure the daily quantity of flow should be given in
kilograms when the hourly flow is given in grams.
167. Causes of Water Movement in the Soil.—The movement of water in
a soil as explained by Whitney[116] is due to two forces, viz., gravitation and
surface tension.
The force of gravitation in a given locality is always uniform, both in direction
and magnitude per unit volume of water.
Surface tension is the tendency of any exposed water surface to pull itself
together. It may act in any direction, according to circumstances, and may thus
sometimes help and sometimes antagonize the force of gravitation.
According to the law of surface tension any particle of moisture tends to
assume the smallest possible area. This tendency is a constant definite force per
unit of surface at a given temperature. In the soil this constant strain on the free
surface of water particles serves, in a high degree, to move them from place to
place, in harmony with the requirements of the different portions of the field.
When a soil is only slightly moist the water clings to its grains in the form of a
thin film. When these soil particles are brought together the films of water
surrounding them unite, one surface being in contact with the soil particles and
the other exposed to the air. If more water enter the soil the film thickens until
finally, when the point of saturation is reached, all the space between the soil
particles becomes filled with water, and surface tension within the soil is thus
reduced to zero. Gravity then alone acts on the water and with a maximum force.
In a cubic foot of ordinary soil the total surface of the soil particles will be at
least 50,000 square feet. It follows that when the soil is only slightly moist the
exposed water surface of the films surrounding the soil particles approximates
that of the particles themselves. If such a mass of slightly moist soil be brought in
contact with a like mass saturated with water, the films of water at the point of
contact will begin to thicken in the nearly dry soil at the expense of the water
content of the saturated mass. The water will thus be moved in any direction.
During evaporation the surface tension near the surface of the soil is increased,
and water is thus drawn from below. In like manner, when rain falls on a
somewhat dry soil, the surface tension is diminished and the greater surface
tension below pulls the moisture down even when gravitation would not be
sufficient for that purpose.
Certain fertilizers have the faculty of modifying surface tension and thus
change the power of the soil in its attraction for moisture. In this way such
fertilizers act favorably on plant growth, both by providing plant food and by
supplying needed moisture.
168. Surface Tension of Fertilizers.—Whitney gives the following data in
respect of the surface tension of aqueous solutions of some of the more common
fertilizing materials. It is expressed in gram meters per square meter, i. e., on a
square meter of liquid surface there is sufficient energy to lift the given number
of grams to the height of one meter.
Surface Tension of Various Fertilizing Solutions.
Figure 22.
Method of
Welitschowsky.
Material—Quartz Sand.
1, 1, 1, 1, Lysimeters.
2, 2, 2, 2, Receiving bottles.