Soil Analytical Techniques
- Agricultural Sciences
- 300 level
- 2 credit units
- 152 pages
- 21 units
This course introduces students to soil analytical techniques, covering essential methods used in soil science. It explores laboratory safety, quality assurance, and the principles of precision and accuracy. Students will learn about soil and plant sampling, preparation, and analysis, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium determination. The course also examines analytical instruments like colorimeters, flame photometers, and atomic absorption spectrophotometers, along with techniques for micronutrient analysis and the features of a standard soil-testing laboratory.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 156 hours
- Maths
- Basic
- Content
- Theoretical, practical
- Practical work
- Yes
- Basic Chemistry
- Introductory Soil Science
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assignments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of SLM309, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
SLM309 · UNIT 1 FEATURES AND FUNCTIONS OF A STANDARD SOIL LABORATORY
The presentation schedule included in the course material gives you the important dates for the completion of tutor-marking assignments and attending tutorials. You are required to submit all your assignments by due date. You should guide against falling behind in your work.
What you should be able to do
- Explain the principles of operation and maintenance of common soil analysis instruments.
- Apply appropriate sampling techniques for soil and plant materials.
- Perform laboratory procedures for determining essential plant nutrients in soil and plant tissues.
- Interpret analytical data and assess soil fertility.
- Implement quality control measures in a soil testing laboratory.
- Identify and mitigate potential safety hazards in a chemical laboratory.
What it prepares you for
- Soil Scientist
- Agronomist
- Environmental Consultant
- Laboratory Technician
- Agricultural Extension Officer
- Agriculture
- Environmental Monitoring
- Soil Conservation
- Fertilizer Production
- Research and Development
- Colorimeter
- Flame Photometer
- Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer
- pH Meter
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 3: Analytical Instruments and Principles of Operation
Unit 3: Principles and Operation of Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS)
Understanding the complex optical and electronic systems requires a strong foundation in physics and instrumentation principles.
- Module 4: Techniques and Precautions in Micronutrients Analysis
Unit 1: Analytical Techniques for Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe) and Manganese (Mn)
Requires careful attention to detail to avoid contamination and ensure accurate results due to the low concentrations of micronutrients.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 24 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: The Basics of Analytical Laboratory
Unit 1: Features and Functions of a Standard Laboratory · 1.5 hours
Read Unit 1: Features and Functions of a Standard Laboratory. Understand the layout and equipment requirements for a soil analysis lab. Review the importance of proper ventilation and temperature control.
- Week 2Module 1: The Basics of Analytical Laboratory
Unit 2: Safety Measures in the Laboratory · 1.5 hours
Read Unit 2: Safety Measures in the Laboratory. Identify potential hazards in a soil science laboratory. Learn about the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Week 3Module 1: The Basics of Analytical Laboratory
Unit 3: Quality Assurance Control · 1.5 hours
Read Unit 3: Quality Assurance Control. Understand the meaning of quality, quality assurance, and quality control. Learn about the steps to ensure accurate and verifiable results.
- Week 4Module 1: The Basics of Analytical Laboratory
Unit 4: Precision and Accuracy · 1.5 hours
Read Unit 4: Precision and Accuracy. Differentiate between precision and accuracy in soil analytical procedures. Learn about sources of error and how to minimize them.
- Week 5Module 1: The Basics of Analytical Laboratory
Unit 5: Laboratory Chemicals · 1.5 hours
Read Unit 5: Laboratory Chemicals. Identify key chemicals used for laboratory analysis. Understand the importance of reagent purity and standardization.
- Week 6Module 2: Soil and Plant Analysis
Unit 1: Soil Sampling and Sample Preparation · 1.5 hours
Read Unit 1: Soil Sampling and Sample Preparation. Learn about different soil sampling methods and techniques. Understand the steps involved in preparing soil samples for laboratory analysis.
- Week 7Module 2: Soil and Plant Analysis
Unit 2: Plant Sampling and Sample Preparation · 1.5 hours
Read Unit 2: Plant Sampling and Sample Preparation. Learn about crop sampling techniques and precautions. Understand the steps involved in preparing plant tissue samples for analysis.
- Week 8Module 2: Soil and Plant Analysis
Unit 3: Nitrogen Determination in Soil and Plant · 1.5 hours
Read Unit 3: Nitrogen Determination in Soil and Plant. Understand the Kjeldahl method for nitrogen determination. Learn about the reagents and procedures used in nitrogen analysis.
- Week 9Module 2: Soil and Plant Analysis
Unit 4: Phosphorus Determination in Soil and Plant · 1.5 hours
Read Unit 4: Phosphorus Determination in Soil and Plant. Learn about Bray's and Olsen's methods for phosphorus determination in soil. Understand the spectrophotometric vanadium phosphomolybdate method for plant analysis.
- Week 10Module 2: Soil and Plant Analysis
Unit 5: Potassium Determination in Soils, Plants and Fertilisers · 1.5 hours
Read Unit 5: Potassium Determination in Soils, Plants and Fertilisers. Learn about the methods for potassium determination in soil, plants, and fertilizers. Understand the use of flame photometer and AAS for potassium analysis.
- Week 11Module 3: Analytical Instruments and Principles of Operation
Unit 1: Principles and Operations of Colorimeter · 1.5 hours
Read Unit 1: Principles and Operations of Colorimeter. Understand the principles of colorimetry and the operation of a colorimeter. Learn about the applications of colorimeters in soil analysis.
Unit 2: Principles and Operations of Flame Photometer · 1.5 hours
Read Unit 2: Principles and Operations of Flame Photometer. Understand the principles of flame photometry and the operation of a flame photometer. Learn about the applications of flame photometers in soil analysis.
- Week 12Module 3: Analytical Instruments and Principles of Operation
Unit 3: Principles and Operation of Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) · 1.5 hours
Read Unit 3: Principles and Operation of Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Understand the principles of atomic absorption spectrophotometry and the operation of an AAS. Learn about the applications of AAS in soil analysis.
Unit 4: Principles and Operation of A pH Meter · 1.5 hours
Read Unit 4: Principles and Operation of A pH Meter. Understand the principles of pH measurement and the operation of a pH meter. Learn about the applications of pH meters in soil analysis.
- Week 13Module 4: Techniques and Precautions in Micronutrients Analysis
Unit 1: Analytical Techniques for Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe) and Manganese (Mn) · 1.5 hours
Read Unit 1: Analytical Techniques for Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe) and Manganese (Mn). Understand the analytical techniques for determining Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn in soil. Learn about the preparation of standard curves for these micronutrients.
Unit 2: Analytical Techniques for available Boron (B) and Molybdenum (Mo) · 1.5 hours
Read Unit 2: Analytical Techniques for available Boron (B) and Molybdenum (Mo). Understand the analytical techniques for determining available B and Mo in soil. Learn about the extraction and estimation methods for these micronutrients.
Preparing for the exam
- Review all unit objectives and ensure you can explain each concept clearly.
- Practice calculations for nutrient determination, focusing on the formulas and units.
- Create flowcharts outlining the steps in each analytical procedure (e.g., Kjeldahl method).
- Study the principles of operation for each instrument (colorimeter, flame photometer, AAS, pH meter).
- Focus on understanding the sources of error and quality control measures in laboratory analysis.
- Review the critical limits for DTPA-extractable micronutrients and their implications for soil fertility.
- Practice sample preparation techniques, paying attention to safety precautions and contamination control.
Questions students ask about this course
What is SLM309 about?
This course introduces students to soil analytical techniques, covering essential methods used in soil science. It explores laboratory safety, quality assurance, and the principles of precision and accuracy. Students will learn about soil and plant sampling, preparation, and analysis, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium determination. The course also examines analytical instruments like colorimeters, flame photometers, and atomic absorption spectrophotometers, along with techniques for micronutrient analysis and the features of a standard soil-testing laboratory.
How many units does SLM309 have?
SLM309, Soil Analytical Techniques, has 21 units across 4 modules, over 152 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is SLM309?
SLM309 carries 2 credit units, at 300 level in Agricultural Sciences.
Is SLM309 hard?
SLM309 is rated intermediate level, with basic mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and practical work, and it has a practical component.
How long does SLM309 take to study?
About 156 hours of study, spread across its 21 units.
How is SLM309 assessed?
SLM309 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assignments and final examination.
What do I need before starting SLM309?
Basic Chemistry Introductory Soil Science
What can I do with SLM309?
Soil Scientist, Agronomist, Environmental Consultant, Laboratory Technician and Agricultural Extension Officer.