After decantation, any suspended fines remaining on the larger nested sieve, as well as material on the 75‑µm sieve, must be returned to the sample for drying.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not specified
• D. Partially

Answer: (A)

In sieve analysis, you must recover all of the sample for the drying step to get an accurate mass and gradation. After decanting, fines still suspended on larger nested sieves and any material left on the 75‑µm sieve are still part of the original sample. Returning those portions to the sample for drying ensures their mass is included in the final oven‑dry weight, preventing undercounting of fines and distortion of the size distribution. Drying everything together gives a true, consistent basis for calculating the percent passing each sieve.