Determine the Sieve Analysis Method of Soil texture

As the name suggests sieve analysis is done using sieves and may give a true distribution of soil particles.  This method involves passing a soil sample through sieves with successively smaller holes and collecting different fractions. This method cannot determine individual particle sizes, it only divides the particles into size categories bracketed by the sieve opening sizes.  By dividing the mass retained on each sieve by the total mass of the soil taken, the percent of the particles in each size range can be determined.