GEO5900 – Chemical Processes in Soil and Ground Water
Course description
Course content
The main geochemical reactions controlling the chemical composition of soil and groundwater are treated in detail, including how these can be quantified and used in interpreting different processes affecting the water quality. Equilibria and kinetics in water-mineral-gas systems are covered, with special emphasis on CO2 - carbonate reactions, mineral weathering, redox-reactions, ion exchange, sorption, and pollution of organic chemicals. An understanding of these processes and a corresponding quantification is required to predict the effect of contaminant spill and human influence. Lectures and homework are accompanied by training in computer modelling of geochemical reactions and transport of solutes in groundwater.
Learning outcome
The purpose of this course is to give advanced master's students an understanding of the main chemical interaction processes among natural waters and the solid constituents of soils and aquifers, and not least how these processes can be quantified and simulated.
Knowledge aims:After completing the course, you should be able to
- identify and define the major processes and reactions taking place in the soil- and groundwater systems
- describe and quantify these processes separately and in concert
Level of skills: After completing the course, you should be able to
- evaluate the main processes giving rise to the chemical composition of the soil- and groundwater systems
- calculate equilibrium concentrations of major species in pore water in contact with minerals and solid surfaces
- perform computer simulations of equilibrium and kinetic reactions of a wide range of water-rock systems
- perform simple computer simulations of reactive transport
Admission to the course
Students admitted at UiO must?apply for courses?in Studentweb. Students enrolled in other master's degree programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.
Nordic citizens and applicants residing in the Nordic countries may?apply to take this course as a single course student.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about?admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.
Formal prerequisite knowledge
- KJM1002 – Introduction to Chemistry (discontinued)?/ KJM1101 – Generell kjemi / KJM1100 – General chemistry (continued) / KJM1001 – Introduction to chemistry (continued) / KJM1000 – Introduction to chemistry (discontinued) or similar knowledge
Recommended previous knowledge
Knowledge in physical chemistry / chemical thermodynamics in addition to general knowledge in chemistry, physics and geosciences.
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with GEO9900 – Chemical Processes in Soil and Ground Water.
- 10 credits overlap with G443.
Teaching
2*2 hours of lectures and 2 hours of exercises per week throughout the semester. There is an introductory part separated from the core instruction period. There are regular classroom teaching and computer exercises, mandatory homework problems to be handed in and an individual modelling project report to be submitted.
Attendance at the first lecture is compulsory. Students who fail to meet are considered to have withdrawn from the course unless they have previously given notice to the course responsible.
We reserve the right to change the teaching?form and examination of the course in semesters where 5 or fewer students have been admitted.
Examination
- The homework problems and modelling report must be approved prior to the final exam.
- The individual project report counts 25% towards the final grade.
- The final exam counts 75% towards the final grade.
- Both the individual project report and the final exam must be passed separately in order to pass the course.
The final exam is oral or written depending on the number of students registered in the course.
Mandatory assignments are valid for 5 semesters starting from the semester they were approved the first time.
It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you?withdraw from the exam?after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
It will also be counted as 1 of the 3 attempts to sit the exam for this course if you sit the exam for one of the following courses:
Examination support material
Language of examination
Eksamensoppgaven blir gitt p? engelsk, og du kan besvare eksamenen p? norsk, svensk, dansk eller engelsk.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F?is a fail. Read more about?the grading system.
Resit an examination
Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are?offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester.
Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass, the original examination.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- How to use AI as a student
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.