The researchers aimed to predict soil acidity at pH 7 using the pH of a soil-buffer mixture. They added a buffered calcium acetate solution to soil samples, measured the pH, and calculated the acidity at pH 7. The predicted acidity values were close to the actual values, but not perfectly accurate. The pH of the soil-buffer mixture was more precise than the actual acidity at pH 7. The measurements using the pH and alkaline solution were less accurate. Overall, the pH of the mixture was a better predictor of soil acidity than the other methods, and the new methods were quicker to perform.