Soil Physics
- Agricultural Sciences
- 500 level
- 2 credit units
- 60 pages
- 11 units
This course provides a comprehensive understanding of soil physical properties and processes. It explores soil texture, structure, water retention, and flow, emphasizing their influence on soil health and management practices. The course covers water dynamics in saturated and unsaturated soils, the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum, and drainage techniques. Students will learn to analyze soil variability and apply soil physics principles for sustainable crop production and water management.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 156 hours
- Maths
- Intermediate
- Content
- Theoretical, problem solving
- Practical work
- No
- Basic knowledge of soil science and hydrology
- Tutor Marked Assignments
- Final Examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of SLM503, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
SLM503 · UNIT 1: SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
This examination concludes the assessment for the course. It constitutes 70% of the whole course. You will be informed of the time for the examination.
What you should be able to do
- Explain the physical properties of soil and their variability.
- Analyze water flow in saturated and unsaturated soils.
- Describe soil water retention characteristics and hysteresis.
- Understand the field water cycle and its components.
- Apply the concept of water continuum in the soil-plant-atmosphere system.
- Evaluate soil drainage methods and their impacts.
What it prepares you for
- Soil Scientist
- Agronomist
- Environmental Consultant
- Irrigation Engineer
- Water Resource Manager
- Agriculture
- Environmental Management
- Civil Engineering
- Water Resources
- Land Management
- Pressure plate apparatus
- Neutron scattering probe
- Time-domain reflectometry (TDR)
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 2: Soil water
Unit 2: Flow of water in saturated and unsaturated soils and Darcy's laws
Application of Darcy's law requires a strong understanding of hydraulic gradients and soil properties.
- Module 2: Soil water
Unit 5: Soil moisture retention characteristics
Understanding the non-linear relationship between soil suction and moisture content requires careful analysis of soil properties.
- Module 3: Field water cycle
Unit 2: Soil plant atmosphere continuum
Requires integrating knowledge of soil, plant physiology, and atmospheric processes.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 48 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Soil Physical Properties
Unit 1: Soil Physical Properties · 4 hours
Define soil texture, structure, and specific surface area.. Describe the different soil textural classes using the textural triangle.. Calculate the specific surface area of soil particles..
- Week 2Module 1: Soil Physical Properties
Unit 2: Spatial variability of soil properties · 3 hours
Explain the concept of spatial variability of soil properties.. Discuss the factors influencing soil variability at different scales.. Analyze the impact of soil management practices on soil variability..
- Week 3Module 2: Soil water
Unit 1: Soil water · 4 hours
Define soil water and its properties.. Describe the different ways of expressing soil water content.. Calculate soil water content on a mass and volume basis..
- Week 4Module 2: Soil water
Unit 2: Flow of water in saturated and unsaturated soils and Darcy's laws · 4 hours
Explain the flow of water in saturated and unsaturated soils.. State and apply Darcy’s Law.. Calculate hydraulic conductivity..
- Week 5Module 2: Soil water
Unit 3: Flow of water in heterogeneous layered medium · 3 hours
Describe the flow of water in a homogeneous soil column.. Explain the flow of water in a heterogeneous layered medium.. Compare water flow in homogeneous and heterogeneous soils..
- Week 6Module 2: Soil water
Unit 4: Diffusivity · 3 hours
Define diffusivity and its importance.. Discuss the factors affecting diffusivity.. Apply Fick’s Law to calculate diffusion rates..
- Week 7Module 2: Soil water
Unit 5: Soil moisture retention characteristics · 4 hours
Explain the relationship between soil moisture retention and soil suction.. Describe the soil moisture retention curve.. Analyze the factors affecting the soil moisture characteristic curve..
- Week 8Module 2: Soil water
Unit 6: Hysteresis · 3 hours
Discuss the phenomenon of hysteresis.. Explain the reasons for hysteresis.. Analyze the importance of hysteresis in soil-plant-water relations..
- Week 9Module 3: Field water cycle
Unit 1: Field water cycle · 4 hours
Describe the hydrologic cycle and its components.. State the water balance equation.. Apply the water balance equation to a watershed..
- Week 10Module 3: Field water cycle
Unit 2: Soil plant atmosphere continuum · 4 hours
Explain the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC).. Identify the points of resistance to water flow in the SPAC system.. Differentiate between evapotranspiration (ET) and potential evapotranspiration (PET)..
- Week 11Module 3: Field water cycle
Unit 3: Drainage and Ground water drainage · 4 hours
Define drainage and its importance.. Describe surface and subsurface drainage systems.. Discuss the benefits and detrimental effects of artificial drainage..
- Week 12Module 1: Soil Physical Properties
Module 1 Review · 4 hours
Review all units from Module 1.. Practice problems related to soil physical properties and spatial variability..
- Week 13Module 2: Soil water
Modules 2 & 3 Review · 4 hours
Review all units from Modules 2 and 3.. Focus on key concepts related to soil water, flow, and the hydrologic cycle.. Prepare for final examination..
Preparing for the exam
- Review definitions of soil texture, structure, and their impact on water movement (Units 1-2, Module 1).
- Practice calculations using Darcy's Law for saturated and unsaturated flow (Unit 2, Module 2).
- Create diagrams illustrating the soil moisture retention curve and hysteresis (Units 5-6, Module 2).
- Study the components of the hydrologic cycle and the water balance equation (Unit 1, Module 3).
- Understand the key principles of the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) and evapotranspiration (Unit 2, Module 3).
- Compare and contrast surface and subsurface drainage methods, including their benefits and drawbacks (Unit 3, Module 3).
- Solve all examples in the units and TMAs.
- Focus on understanding the relationships between soil properties and water movement.
- Review all key terms and definitions related to soil physics and hydrology.
- Create concept maps linking soil properties, water flow, and plant water relations.
Questions students ask about this course
What is SLM503 about?
This course provides a comprehensive understanding of soil physical properties and processes. It explores soil texture, structure, water retention, and flow, emphasizing their influence on soil health and management practices. The course covers water dynamics in saturated and unsaturated soils, the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum, and drainage techniques. Students will learn to analyze soil variability and apply soil physics principles for sustainable crop production and water management.
How many units does SLM503 have?
SLM503, Soil Physics, has 11 units across 3 modules, over 60 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is SLM503?
SLM503 carries 2 credit units, at 500 level in Agricultural Sciences.
Is SLM503 hard?
SLM503 is rated intermediate level, with intermediate mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and problem solving work.
How long does SLM503 take to study?
About 156 hours of study, spread across its 11 units.
How is SLM503 assessed?
SLM503 is assessed by Tutor Marked Assignments and Final Examination.
What do I need before starting SLM503?
Basic knowledge of soil science and hydrology
What can I do with SLM503?
Soil Scientist, Agronomist, Environmental Consultant, Irrigation Engineer and Water Resource Manager.