Soil Physics
AGRON
ENSCI
477
577
2026 Agronomy, 10:00 – 10:50 MWF
Dr. Ewing
Soil Physics 2010
Outline
• Introduction to the course
• Who am I?
• Who are you?
• The lab (AGRON 578)
• Introduction to the topic
Soil Physics 2010
Introduction to the course
(This next stuff is on the syllabus)
Objectives:
1: To learn and understand basic
concepts of soil physics
2: To apply soil physics concepts as
appropriate
3: To recognize soil physics when you
see it outside the classroom
4: To enhance your overall scientific,
quantitative, and computer skills
Soil Physics 2010
Instructor:
Dr. Robert (Toby) Ewing
ewing@iastate.edu
Office phone (preferred): 294-7856;
cell 451-7224
2596 Agronomy Hall
Office hours: Monday 2:00 to 5:00,
or by appointment
Soil Physics 2010
Prerequisites
Official Prerequisites: 2 soils courses,
calculus recommended
Unofficial prerequisites: 1 soils course,
math up to calculus
Optimal: 1+ soils course, 1+ semester
each of calculus and physics
Or permission of instructor
Soil Physics 2010
Disabilities:
Please address any special needs or
accommodations with me at the beginning of
the semester, or as soon as you become
aware of them.
Those seeking accommodations based on
disabilities should obtain a Student
Academic Accommodation Request (SAAR)
from the Disability Resources (DR) office
(294-7220), in Room 1076 of the Student
Services Building.
Soil Physics 2010
Textbook:
You will be tested
on material in this
book, so I strongly
encourage you to
buy it!
Soil Physics 2010
Dani Hillel has written
the most widely used
textbooks in soil physics.
Soil Physics 2010
If you own the older
(and bigger, and more expensive)
Environmental Soil Physics,
please tell me.
Soil Physics 2010
Website:
www.agron.iastate.edu/soilphysics/agron577
I post lectures (.ppt format), assignments,
announcements, and related material.
I would love to post lectures ahead of time,
but that probably won’t happen.
Soil Physics 2010
My expectations of you:
• Act with academic integrity.
• Be courteous to me and to your fellow students.
• Attend and participate in lectures.
• Read the assigned readings before each lecture.
• Tell me in advance (email is fine) if you are going to
miss a class.
• Submit assignments on time.
• Tell me when you don’t understand the material.
Soil Physics 2010
My obligations to you:
• Act with academic integrity.
• Be courteous to you.
• Prepare and present informative lectures.
• Provide you with information.
• Help you to learn the material.
• Foster an environment conducive to learning.
• Fairly and promptly grade assignments and tests.
Soil Physics 2010
Differences between AGRON/ENSCI 477 and 577:
477 is for undergraduates; 577 is for graduate students
and advanced undergraduates.
More is expected of students enrolled in 577.
Specifically:
• their exams will have one or two additional
questions, and
• they must write an article for Wikipedia, and
present it to the class, on a soil physics topic that is
mutually agreed upon by the student and the
instructor.
Soil Physics 2010
Evaluation:
477
577
20% each
20% each
Final exam
30%
25%
Quizzes
15%
15%
Homework
15%
10%
Wikipedia article
NA
10%
2 semester exams
Soil Physics 2010
Exams
Exams (including the final) are
comprehensive.
You may use a calculator and an 8.5 x 11"
sheet of paper with notes, equations,
diagrams, etc. (no scanning or
photocopying!) on one side, and your
name on the other.
Soil Physics 2010
Quizzes
Quizzes will occur frequently and without notice, at the
beginning of a class period.
They are short (1-3 questions), cover assigned reading
and the previous lecture, and take about 5 minutes.
Their purpose is to encourage you to read the
assignments, and to show up on time.
There will be no make-up quizzes, but your lowest quiz
score will not count towards your final grade.
Soil Physics 2010
Homework:
…may be done with others: this is often a good
way to learn.
Each person must submit their own copy, and
give names of those with whom they worked.
Assignments submitted late are docked 10%
per day, starting at the end of the class period
at which the assignment was due.
Soil Physics 2010
Wikipedia
On Nov. 2009 I counted about 30 articles that were both listed
under the topic “soil physics”, and fell within the domain of
this course.
The article on porosity is a reasonable guide to what I am
looking for in terms of length and depth.
For your presentation, plan for 10 minutes of presentation and
5 minutes of questions and discussion.
Wikipedia articles will be presented to the class, and discussed,
at the appropriate time in the course. For example, if you have
chosen to write about gas-phase diffusion, you will present
your article on March 26th. Talk to me early in the semester so
you can get the topic you want.
Soil Physics 2010
Course outline:
• Porous medium basics
• The solid phase
• Single-fluid transport
• Dual-fluid transport
• Heat transport
• Composite transport
Soil physics, as a scientific endeavor, deals with the state and
movement of matter and with the fluxes and transformations of
energy in the soil and related porous media. (SSSA)
Soil Physics 2010
Who am I?
Degrees:
B.S., Plant & Soil Science, University of Maine
M.S., Crop Science, North Caroline State U.
Ph.D., Soil Physics, University of Minnesota
Courses taught:
Physical Geography (4), Meteorology,
Hydrogeology (2), Water Resources,
A Sustainable Society,
Soil Physics, Advanced Soil Physics (6)
Research areas:
Diffusion, Radioactive waste management,
Percolation theory, Coupled heat & water movement
Soil Physics 2010
Who are you?
Please write on a sheet of paper:
•
•
•
•
•
Your full name, and preferred name if different
Email address
Preferred phone number (optional)
Major and year (undergrad) or major prof. (grad)
Courses you’ve taken (no more than 3 each) in:
• Soil science
• Other earth science
• Math
• Physics
…and hand in the paper.
Soil Physics 2010
The Lab (AGRON 578)
The Lab is not required, but it is
recommended.
It can help to get a hands-on sense of
what we talk about in class.
Currently the lab is scheduled for
Monday, 1:10 – 4:10 pm.
Soil Physics 2010
Introduction to soil physics
Soil Physics
Geology
Mineralogy
Hydrology
Meteorology
Quantum Mechanics
Astrophysics
Mathematical Equations
Large Hadron Collider
Agriculture
Crop Management
Horticulture
Botany
Soil Physics 2010
Introduction to soil physics
Soil Physics
Geology
Mineralogy
Hydrology
Meteorology
Mathematical Equations
Newtonian Physics
Condensed Matter Physics
Agriculture
Crop Management
Horticulture
Botany
Soil Physics 2010
Petroleum Engineering
Geotechnical Eng.
Hydraulic Engineering
Civil Engineering
Electrical Engineering
What’s my point?
• All the sciences are inter-related
• Soil physics borrows heavily from other
sciences, and also informs other sciences
…and also
• Physical sciences tend to be more
mathematical
• Soil physics is both fundamental and applied
• Physical explanations should make physical
sense
Soil Physics 2010
Physical properties of soil
• What do soils do?
• What physical properties make
this possible?
• What physical processes must
occur in soils to make this
possible?
Soil Physics 2010
Current issues in soil physics
What are the big issues in soil physics today?
My top 4:
• Heterogeneity, randomness and structure
• Scale, upscaling, downscaling, and scale
integration
• Integration with meteorology, hydrology, etc.
• Legacy of empirical, non-physical concepts
Soil Physics 2010