Nneze Akwiwu, Ruth Wangia & Bongeka Zuma
General Physics 112
Dr. Derrick Hylton
02-16-2015

Desert Irrigation Problem

Introduction
As physics students in the second part of an introductory physics class, we have been tasked with considering the problem of famine that currently faces some parts of Africa. We have been tasked with answering the question of whether growing crops on desert land could alleviate the problem of famine if the desert was irrigated. We seek to explore whether irrigating the desert would make the land arable for crops growing above ground on trees.
In the next set of calculations and explanations, we study the phenomenon of pressure, the principles that explain pressure and the variation with changing height. Using these, we will show that by manipulating the pressure that is exerted on the water, we can be able to grow plants in a desert, assuming that all the plants only need water to grow. We begin by exploring the various factors that can affect the growth of a tree on desert.

Environmental Factors that determine desert irrigation
Soil Type: Desert areas have highly permeable, and low water holding capacity sandy soils. Sandy soils have a low pore space and a high infiltration rate. The low pore space is responsible for the low water holding capacity. The depth of the soil layer of sand and gravel determines irrigation management decisions. Mohammed et al argues that the depth of soil layer greatly affects the available water to plants roots. They propose that a depth of soil layer should not be less than 1m because it significantly decreases the amount of water available to roots. Taking this into consideration, our model’s root depth is approximated at 2m. The approximated rooting provides enough depth for the plant’s roots to absorb water. In addition, a 2m depth will hold higher moisture content making