PLSCS 6710

Soil Chemistry

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2019-2020.

This course provides an understanding of soil chemical properties and processes. A detailed examination of the structure and surface chemistry of mineral and organic colloidal particles important to the function of soils is provided. The course also emphasizes reactions that occur at the solid-solution interface (e.g., ion exchange, chemical and physical adsorption), mineral-solution equilibria, soil acidity, and redox reactions in soils. Thermodynamic and kinetic principles are used to model and conceptualize soil chemical processes. The objective is to explain the fundamental role of these soil chemical properties and processes to terrestrial systems, both agricultural and natural ecosystems.

When Offered Fall (offered in odd-numbered years only).

Prerequisites/Corequisites Prerequisite: two semesters of college-level general/introductory chemistry.

• Describe the surface properties of mineral and organic components of soils and the reactivity of these components towards a variety of ions and molecular classes.
• Apply thermodynamic and kinetic principles to environmental phenomena.
• Integrate theories and models to develop a conceptual framework of the chemical behavior of soils.

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