Requirements (Instruments, Chemicals & Other)

• Granular sample (e.g., sand, starch, or pharmaceutical powder)
• Set of standard sieves (e.g., 10 to 325 mesh)
• Weighing balance (accuracy ±0.01 g)
• Mechanical sieve shaker / manual setup
• Brush (for cleaning sieves)
• Collection pan
• Stopwatch or timer
• Calculator / spreadsheet for analysis

Procedure

1. Weigh approximately 100 g of the dry sample.
2. Arrange the sieves in descending order (coarsest on top, finest at bottom).
3. Place a collection pan under the bottom sieve.
4. Transfer the sample to the top sieve and secure the lid.
5. Shake manually or mechanically for 10–15 minutes.
6. Carefully remove and weigh the material retained on each sieve.
7. Record the weights and calculate:
   • Percentage retained = (Weight retained / Total weight) × 100
   • Cumulative % passing = 100 – Cumulative % retained
8. Plot a graph of log particle size (X-axis) vs. % finer (Y-axis).
9. Determine D₁₀, D₅₀, and D₉₀ from the curve.