COURSE:     Soil Chemistry & Physics (SL 202)

 CLASSES:  Lecture:        Mondays   10:00 - 11:55 am
                                       Tuesdays  10:00 - 10:55 am
                   Lab:              Wednesdays 8:00 - 10:55 am

 LECTURERS:                Ephraim M. Govere for Soil Chemistry section
                                       Philip Nyamugafata for Soil Physics section

             Offices:      Govere: Agric. Bldg, lower floor, Room DL 40 Nyamugafata:  39
             Hours:        Thursdays 8:00 - 10:30 am and 3:00 - 5:00 pm
                               By appointment

 SOIL CHEMISTRY SECTION OP THE COURSE

 DESCRIPTION OF THE SOIL CHEMISTRY SECTION: Study of the chemical
 constitution (mineralogical composition), chemical properties, and
 chemical reactions of soils and relate the chemical constitution,
 properties and reactions to plant growth (soil productivity),
 environmental quality, and animal and human health.

 PREREQUISITES:  Completion of first year courses with passes in SL
 101, CH 101/102/103/105

 TEACHING SCHEDULE:
 Soil Chemistry Section:  First term (25 March to 1 June)
 Soil Physics Section:    Second term (24 June to 31 August)
 Soil Chemistry Section:  Third term (30 September to 12 October)
 Soil Physics Section:    Third term (13 October to 31 October)
 Revision and Exams for both:  1 November to 7 December.

 REQUIRED MATERIALS & TEXTBOOK:
 1.   Study Guide containing
      (a)  List of educational (instruction) objectives
      (b)  List of chemical terms and definition
      (c)  Reading materials and references for each objective
      (c)  Soil chemistry practice (exam) questions

 2.   Soil Chemistry Lab. Manual (E Govere & B Mutsambiwa, 1996)

 3.   Bohn, H.L., McNeal, B.L.  and  0.A. O'Conor. 1985. Soil
          Chemistry. John Wiley & Sons, N.Y. 341 pp.

 4.   Handouts:  Reprints of current relevant articles are used liberally in this
       course.

 GRADING:
 1.  Pretest on basic chemical principles (Grade does not
           count towards the final grade)
 2.  Test after each main topic

 EVALUATION: The weighted evaluation as decided by the Faculty of
 Agriculture will be as follows:
   1. Term exams                         20%

   2. Practicals and Projects            13%
   3. Final exam                         67%

 GRADES: Grades will be given as follows:
   80 % and above                     1    (First Division)
   70 % to 79 %                       2.1  (Upper 2nd Division)
   60 % to 69 %                       2.2  (Lower 2nd Division)
   50 % to 59 %                       3    (Third Division)
   Below 50 %                         Fail

  GENERAL COVRSE OBJECTIVES:

 1.  To enable students know the historical perspectives of soil
     chemistry.
 2.  To enable students know and understand the chemical weathering
     and soil development process.
 3.  To help students know and understand the mineralogical and
     organic composition of soils.
 4.  To help students know the behaviors of acid and salt-affected
     soils.
 5.  To assist students know the mechanisms by which cations, anions,
     and molecules are retained on soil surface.
 6.  To enable students understand soil oxidation and reduction
     processes.

 7.  To help students know important ions in soil, both toxic and
     plant essential.
 8.  To enable students to apply chemical principles to soil chemical
     processes.
 9.  To give students a conceptual framework to relate applications
     of soil chemical technology to plant growth, environmental
     quality, and human and animal health.
 10. To provide students the opportunity to develop skills and
     demonstrate their ability to use concepts and principles in
     problem solving related to soil chemistry.
 11. To provide students the opportunity to develop methods of
     independent study in soil chemistry areas.
 12. To develop students' competency in judging the effect of soil
     chemical composition, chemical properties and chemical reactions on
     plant and water quality.
 13. To develop students' abilities in experimental procedures and
     interpretations used to generate the basic soil information on
     soil chemical composition, properties and reactions usually
     contained in Soil Analysis Lab Reports.
 14. To develop students' skills in oral and written communication.

 Satisfactory completion of the objectives should give the students
 the confidence required for independent searching for truth
 involving:
      1. The inductive and deductive approach
      2. The scientific method
      3. The development of ideas, creativity, and imagination.