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Calibration Problems can be fun - sort of like working puzzles so I hope

you enjoy working the enclosed practice set.

Questions 42-55 are for only the Research and Demonstration portion of
the test

I would suggest that you try working the problems

before you look at the Solution Set.

Try to work the problems in a way that seems logical to you.

If you try to work a problem using a different method than the ones in
the example solutions and do not get the answer on the answer sheet
please
FAX your work to me (979-845-6251)
and I will find the error, if there is one, and
I will FAX a correction back to you.

******************************************************
Texas Agricultural Extension Service
Agricultural & Environmental Safety

Mary L. Ketchersid
Extension Program Specialist
Pesticide Safety Education
115 Agronomy Field Lab
College Station, Texas 77843-2488

phone 979-845-6531
FAX 979-845-6251
e-mail [email protected]
http://www-aes.tamu.edu/mary/mary.htm
******************************************************
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Practice Calibration Problem Set

General Comments and Conversion Factors

Calibration is easy but it takes practice. The best way to get a feel for calibration is to go out and
calibrate a few spray rigs because this makes the whole process real. Calibration is the process used to
apply a specific amount to a known area usually while traveling at a certain speed.

1. Determine the question being asked. This is especially true when there is extra information that
is not needed in a problem.

2. Determine what information you need to answer the question being asked. I usually circle or
rewrite the information that I need.

3. Be prepared to make conversions. I have most often worked with small plots in research trials
so we collected output in milliliters and mixed liters and measured chemicals in milliliters (liquid)
or grams (dry) but we had to relate that back to gallons per acre and pounds a.i. per acre, etc.

4. Make any conversions necessary to work the problem.

5. Most if not all problems can be worked by using a ratio and proportion set up that reads ‘A’ is to
‘B’ as ‘C’ is to ‘D’, cross multiply, and divide. Place ‘X’ into the unknown spot.

6. Understand the difference between broadcast and banded acres

a.i. = active ingredient

GPM = gallons per minute
GPA = gallons per acre
MPH = miles per hour
1 mile = 5280 feet Note: I never can remember 5280 feet so I multiply
1 MPH = 88 ft/min 88 ft/min X 60 minutes/hour to get 5280
1 acre = 43,560 square feet
1 gallon = 4 quarts = 8 pints = 128 ounces (liquid) = 3785 ml
1 foot = 12 inches
1 pound = 454 grams = 16 ounces (dry)
1 kilogram = 1000 grams = 1,000,000 mg
1 gram = 1000 mg = 1,000,000 µg
1 mg = 1000 µg
1 pound = 0.454 kg
1 kg = 2.2 lbs
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VARIOUS PRACTICE CALCULATIONS for EXAM PREPARATION

The Formulas below May Be Needed in the
Mixing and Calibration Problems

Formulas are generally given on the Private Applicator and General Commercial Non-Commercial Exam
forms. Formulas are usually not given on the Category Exams. This is a compilation of formulas that
might be used on various exams or in practice and there could be many more. Not all of these formulas
would be used on any one Exam. In most cases, where a formula can be used, you could work the
problem without a formula if you understand what is actually needed to make the calibration. I have
collected some problems that are similar to, but not exactly the same as, those you may encounter on the
various Exams. These may or may not be like the problems you will face in the field.

w = feet

GPA = gallons per acre

MPH = speed in miles per hour
GPM = gallons per minute
W = nozzle spacing (in inches) for broadcast spraying
= spray width (in inches) for a single nozzle, band spraying, or boomless spraying
= Row spacing (in inches) divided by the number of nozzles per row for directed spraying.
5940 = conversion factor derived from all of the conversions necessary to make the formula work
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Broadcast Spraying
GPA = Average ounces per nozzle in seconds required to cover course

Calibration Course

Nozzle spacing (inches) 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40

Course length (feet) 340 255 204 170 146 128 113 102
*Note that in a directed spray situation, where you may have three nozzles applying the spray to one row,
collect the output from all three nozzles.

Broadcast Spraying

Band Spraying

Two ways to do the same thing:

Conversions:
1 acre = 43,560 square feet 1 MPH = 88 feet/minute
1 gallon = 4 quarts 1 mile = 5,280 feet
= 8 pints 1 foot = 12 inches
= 128 ounces (volume) 1 minute = 60 seconds
= 3,785 ml
1 pound = 16 ounces (weight)
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PRACTICE CALIBRATION PROBLEMS

1. To decrease the flow rate of a nozzle from 0.4 gallons per minute at 40 pounds per square inch to
0.3 gallons per minute, pressure must be decreased to ________ pounds per square inch.

2. How much adjuvant should be added to 400 gallons of herbicide mixture if the adjuvant is used at
0.25 percent concentration by volume?

3. If a herbicide label calls for 3 pounds active ingredient per acre and a 75% wettable powder is
used, how much of the formulated product should be used per acre?

4. A 4-gallon backpack sprayer has been calibrated to apply 1 gallon per 1000 square feet of area.
Using a Wettable Powder with 50% active ingredient at 10 pounds of active ingredient per acre,
how many ounces of the formulated product will be needed per 1000 square feet?

5. A fenced yard that is 200 feet wide and 500 feet long needs a 1 foot band on the inside and a 1
foot band on the outside of the fence. How many square feet will be treated?

6. If a 308-foot course is measured and an average of 70 seconds is required to make a pass, what is
the ground speed in miles per hour?

7. If a sprayer applying 20 gallons per acre at 5 miles per hour decreases it’s speed to 3 miles per
hour with the pressure remaining constant, how many gallons are being applied per acre?
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8. A herbicide label recommends an application rate of 15 to 30 gallons of carrier per acre. A

30-pound-per-square inch operating pressure, 4 miles per hour ground speed and a TeeJet 5880-
3/4-2TOC10-BoomJet Nozzle set to cover a 25 foot spray width were selected. If 448 ounces of
water were collected from this system in 1 minute, calculate the flow rate in gallons per minute.

9. The herbicide label recommends an application rate of 20 gallons of carrier per acre. The
pressure is 30-pound-per-square inch operating pressure. The ground speed is 4 miles per hour.
The 20 foot spray boom has 12 (11003LP-SS) nozzles spaced 20 inches apart. If 440 ounces of
water were collected from this system in 1 minute, what was the average flow rate per nozzle in
gallons per minute?

10. When calibrating your spray system the spray rig traveled 165 feet in 25 seconds and each nozzle
delivered 25 ounces per minute and the spray boom contained 15 nozzles spaced 20 inches apart
and produced a spray pattern that covered 25 feet. Calculate the gallons per acre being applied by
this spray system.

11. If your spray system applied 20 gallons per acre and you have a 450-gallon tank and need to spray
a 50-foot width to control weed along the roadside, how many miles of roadside could be
sprayed?

12. Calculate the flow rate in gallons per minute of a single swivel nozzle used to broadcast a
herbicide at an application rate of 30 gallons per acre if the speed of the sprayer is 5 miles per
hour and the nozzle spray width is 30 feet.

13. You have a fenced pasture that is 900 feet wide and 900 feet long that needs a 2.0 foot band on
the inside and a 2.0 foot band on the outside of the fence. How many square feet will be treated?
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14. A knapsack sprayer has been calibrated to apply 3-liters per 1000 square feet of area. If 5
ounces of active ingredient will be needed per 1000 square feet of ground area and the pesticide
formulation is an 80% WP, how many pounds of active ingredient would be applied per acre?

15. If one gallon of a surfactant is added to a 500-gallon herbicide mixture, what is the percent
concentration of the surfactant by volume?

16. If a 200-foot course is measured and an average of 25 seconds is required to make a pass, what is
the ground speed in miles per hour?

17. If a herbicide label calls for 2 pounds per acre of active material and a 75% wettable powder is
used, how much wettable powder should be used per acre?

18. A sprayer with a tank capacity of 300 gallons is calibrated for an application rate of 30 gallons per
acre. An 85% wettable powder herbicide is to be applied. The label recommends applying 3
pounds of active ingredient per acre. How many pounds of herbicide product (i.e. the 85WP)
should be added to the spray tank?

19. If 30 gallons per acre are being applied in a 6-foot swath and the boom is raised to cover a 9-foot
swath with everything else remaining constant, how many gallons per acre are being applied?
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20. If a sprayer applying 30 gallons per acre at 2 miles per hour increases speed to 3.5 miles per hour
with the pressure remaining constant, how many gallons are being applied?

21. In order to increase the flow rate of an 8003LP-SS nozzle from 0.3 gallons per minute at 15
pounds per square inch to 0.4 gallons per minute, pressure must be increased to _________
pounds per square inch.

22. If a pesticide label states: use 2.5 pounds of product per 100 gallons of water, how many pounds
of product should be added to 500 gallons of water?

23. How many acres can be treated from a spray tank holding 400 gallons if the rate of application is
20 gallons per acre?

24. For a spray rig that delivers 15 gallons per acre (GPA) and has a 300 gallon tank, how many
pounds of a pesticide (product) must be added to the tank if the recommended rate is 1 pound
(product) per acre?
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25. How many gallons of a 70% emulsifiable concentrate are needed to make 50 gallons of 2% active
ingredient spray?

26. If a pesticide label says 4EC there are 4 pounds of active ingredient per gallon of formulation. In
order to apply 1 pound of active ingredient per acre 1 quart of formulation is mixed into each 20
gallons of spray mix. How many gallons of the spray mix will be needed to treat 10 acres?

27. If an applicators spray equipment travels 88 feet in 20 seconds, what is the speed in miles per hour
(MPH)?

28. Calculate the swath width in feet (FT.) if the spray equipment has 12 nozzles on 20 inch (IN.)
spacings.

29. Nozzle discharge rate and calibration of the sprayer should be performed with clean water and
before pesticide has been loaded.

A. True
B. False
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30. What will the application rate be in gallons per acre (GPA) if 25 ounces per nozzle are delivered
from a boom with 20 nozzles at 12 inch spacing in the time required to travel 340 feet?

31. How many square feet would a hand sprayer holding one gallon treat if 4 ounces of the spray mix
are used to treat 100 square feet?

32. A sprayer with a 500 gallon tank capacity is calibrated to apply 20 gallons per acre. DE PESTO
herbicide will be used to control broadleaf weeds at a rate of 2 pounds per acre. How many
gallons of DE PESTO - 4EC herbicide should be added to the tank?

33. If an applicator’s spray equipment travels 150 feet in 30 seconds, what is the speed in miles per
hour (MPH)?

34. Calculate the swath width in feet (FT.) if the spray equipment has 10 nozzles on 18 inch (IN.)
spacings.

35. What will the application rate be in gallons per acre (GPA) if 5 gallons are used to treat an area
300 feet long and 20 feet wide?
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36. If the label on a 65% wettable powder states; use 3 pounds of active ingredient per acre, how
many pounds of the product are needed to treat one acre?

37. How many gallons per acre (GPA) (broadcast rate) is applied by a spray rig that travels at 4 miles
per hour (MPH), delivers 36 ounces per minute per nozzle, and has a nozzle spacing of 18 inches
(IN.)?

38. For a spray rig that delivers 10 gallons per acre (GPA) and has a 400 gallon tank, how many
gallons of a 4 pounds per gallon pesticide must be added to treat 40 acres at a rate of 1 pound per
acre?

39. You plan to walk 3 MPH while applying chemicals along a roadside. If you take an average of 42
steps per 100 feet, how many steps must you take per minute?

40. You have a hand-held four nozzle boom sprayer with a 20 inch nozzle spacing. The 8002 nozzles
are emitting 0.2 GPM and you plan to walk 2.5 MPH while taking 45 steps per 100 feet when
making the application. How many beats per minute should be set on your metronome?

41. Using any information you need from problem 40, calculate how many gallons you will apply per
acre.
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42. You are helping a producer calibrate his sprayer prior to applying a herbicide. He has just
purchased a new set of nozzle tips that have an average output of 0.3 gallons per minute per
nozzle. The boom contains 12 nozzles spaced 20 inches apart. You have determined the correct
gear and throttle settings to travel at a speed of 4 MPH while spraying. How many gallons of
spray solution are being applied per acre on a broadcast basis?

43. The producer in Problem 42 plans to spray a pasture with Depesto 75WP to control grassburs and
broadleaf weeds in his pasture. Depesto 75WP contains 75% of the active ingredient pestoff.
The label states that pestoff should be applied at a rate of 1.5 pound a.i. per acre. How many
pounds of Depesto 75WP should be added to each 100 gallons of water in the spray tank in order
to apply the correct amount of pestoff per acre?

44. You are spraying "Depesto" insecticide in 18-inch bands over 40-inch rows, with the pressure
gauge set at 40 pounds per square inch and the speed at 4 miles per hour. How would you
increase the application rate without changing tractor speed or pressure? (Be specific and give an
example of what you would do.)

45. Depesto pesticide contains 2 pounds of the active ingredient “pestoff” per gallon, which is 29 %
a.i. per gallon. How many pints of the 29 % pesticide would you use per acre if the recommended
rate is 3/4 pound of active ingredient per acre on a broadcast basis? Show your work.

46. COUNTER 15G material is 15% active ingredient. The application rate reads 5 lbs. COUNTER
per 10,000 linear feet of row in 14-inch bands centered on 40-inch rows. How many pounds of
the 15G COUNTER would you apply per crop acre while banding? Show your work.
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47. Recommendations for Depesto 4EC Fungicide calls for 0.8 pound active ingredient per acre. You
have 5 gallons of the 4EC formulation containing 4 pounds of active ingredient per gallon. Your
sprayer holds 500 gallons; it is calibrated to apply 40 gallons per acre and cannot be changed.
How much 4E is needed per tankful to apply the 0.8 pound a.i. per acre? Show your work.

48. The Depesto 10G nematicide label reads "apply Depesto at the rate of 100 lbs. per 15,000 linear
feet of row in 14-inch bands centered on 40-inch rows." How many pounds of the active
ingredient is being applied per crop acre while banding? Show your work.

49. The Depesto 3E nematicide contains 3 pounds of active ingredient per gallon. How many fluid
ounces of the nematicide would you use for one thousand linear feet of row in 20-inch bands over
40-inch rows, at the rate of 4 pounds active ingredient per acre on a broadcast basis? Show your
work.

50. Depesto insecticide also comes in an 8% active ingredient granular formulation. It is sold only in
50 pound bags. How many bags per acre would be needed to apply 4.0 pounds active ingredient
per acre on a broadcast basis? Show your work.

51. A person weighs 150 pounds. Technical atrazine has an oral LD50 of 3090. How many
milligrams of atrazine per kilogram is needed to reach the LD50 for this person? Show your work.

52. How many grams of atrazine (see problem 51) are needed to reach the LD50 for the 150 pound
person? Show your work. (If you want to go farther with this 1 teaspoon = 5 grams, 3 teaspoons
 -14-

= 1 Tablespoon, 16 tablespoons = 1 cup).

You are planning an experiment using chemigation. Depesto is a preemergence herbicide that comes in a
65% wettable powder. It is being studied to be registered for use through overhead sprinkler systems.
The instructions say "mix the 65% WP in sufficient water to make a slurry, inject into the sprinkler
system for a period of 30 minutes. Use at the rate of 3/4 pound formulated material per acre on a
broadcast basis." (For this to work correctly there should be a method to keep the slurry suspended.)
The sprinkler system contains 10 sprinkler heads. The heads are 50 feet apart. The pattern from each
sprinkler head overlaps to the next sprinkler head.

53. Using the information provided and assuming uniform coverage by the system, how many acres
are covered by the sprinkler system in one set? Show your work.

54. Using the information provided, since the material is only 65% active ingredient, how much active
material is applied to each field acre? Show your work.

55. Using the information provided, at the rate of 3/4 pound Depesto 65WP per acre, how much of
this material would be used for each sprinkler set? Show your work.
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CALIBRATION PRACTICE
KEY

1. 22.5 psi 42. 22.3 GPA

2. 1 gallon
3. 4 pounds 43. 8.97 pounds
4. 7.35 ounces
5. 2,800 square feet 44. Increase the application rate by changing
6. 3 MPH the nozzle tips from for example 8002 to
7. 33.3 gallons per acre 8003.
8. 3.5 gallons per minute
9. 0.286 gallons per minute 45. 3 pints per acre
10. 12.89 gallons per acre
11. 3.7 miles 46. 6.5 pounds per crop acre while banding
12. 9.09 gallons per minute
13. 14,400 square feet 47. 2.5 gallons per tankful
14. 13.6 pounds a.i. per acre
15. 0.2 % 48. 8.7 pounds of the active ingredient per
16. 5.45 MPH crop acre while banding
17. 2.67 pounds WP per acre
18. 35.3 pounds 49. 6.38 fluid ounces
19. 20 GPA
20. 17.14 GPA 50. 1 bag
21. 26.7 psi
22. 12.5 pounds 51. 3090 milligrams of atrazine per kilogram
23. 20 acres
24. 20 pounds 52. 210 grams of atrazine are needed to
25. 1.42 gallon reach the LD50 for the 150 pound person
26. 200 gallons (42 teaspoons or 14 Tablespoons or
27. 3 MPH 0.877 cups)
28. 20 feet
29. True 53. 1.147 acres
30. 25 gallons per acre
31. 3,200 square feet 54. 0.4875 pounds a.i. per field acre
32. 12.5 gallons
33. 3.4 MPH 55. 0.86 pound per acre
34. 15 feet
35. 36.3 GPA
36. 4.6 pounds
37. 23 GPA
38. 10 gallons
39. 111 steps per minute
40. 99 steps per minute
41. 23.76 GPA
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