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Atomic Weight of Soil Nutrients

Last modified by
on
Sep 29, 2022, 12:53:25 AM
Created by
on
Jul 1, 2021, 4:06:33 PM
=Atomic Weight
Element
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Agriculture Chemistry Atomic Nutrition Soil Farming Harvesting Nutrients
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4e419f66-da86-11eb-8eb2-bc764e203090

The Atomic Weight of Soil Nutrients equation returns return the Atomic Weight of the selected nutrient.  The element symbols are listed in alphabetic order.

Note: Units for Atomic Weight are expressed in grams per mole (g/mol) and can be converted to other units via the pull-down menu. This equation represents the atomic weight of nutrients via the periodic table. Isotopes and molecular compositions are not represented in this equation.

INSTRUCTIONS: Choose a nutrient from the pull-down menu and view its atomic weight.

The Math / Science

Molar mass is a physical property of an atomic element. It is defined as the mass of a given substance (chemical element or chemical compound) divided by its amount of substance. The base SI unit for molar mass is kg/mol. However, for historical reasons, molar masses are almost always expressed in g/mol.

Soil is a major source of nutrients for plants. Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) are the three main nutrients. Calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and sulfur (S) are other important nutrients for plant growth. There are also trace elements that plants also need in small quantities. These are iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), boron (B) and molybdenum (Mo). The table below lists the symbols, atomic weight, and some of the roles of each of these elements.

Figure 1. Atomic Weight of Nutrients
Element Symbol Atomic Weight (g/mol) Roles
Boron B 10.81
  • Cell wall formation 
  • Increases flower production
Calcium Ca 40.078
  • Root health
  • New root and root hair growth
  • Leaf development
Carbon C 12.011
  • Gives structure to the soil
  • Stores water and nutrients plants need
Chlorine Cl 35.45
  • Photosynthesis
  • Leaf firmness
Copper Cu 63.546
  • Enzymes in plants
  • Formation of chlorophyll
Hydrogen H 1.008
  • Combines with carbon during the photosynthesis to release oxygen into the atmosphere
Iron Fe 55.845
  • Regulate and promote growth
  • Part of several enzymes and pigments
Magnesium Mg 24.305
  • Chlorophyll
  • Vital for photosynthesis
Manganese Mn 54.938045
  • Photosynthesis
  • Sustains metabolic roles within plant cells
Molybdenum Mo 95.96
  • Helps bacteria and soil organisms convert nitrogen in the air to nitrogen compounds in the soil
  • Synthesis of amino acids in the plant
Nitrogen N 14.007
  • Plant proteins
  • Hormones
  • Chlorophyll
Oxygen O 15.999
  • Helps with respiration
  • Prevents plants from "drowning" in waterlogged soil
Phosphorous P 30.973762
  • Helps transfer energy from sunlight to the plant
  • Stimulates root growth
  • Hastens maturity
Potassium K 39.0983
  • Increases disease resistance
  • Helps form and move starches, sugars, and oils
  • Improves fruit quality
Sulfur S 32.06
  • Amino acids within plants
  • Energy-producing processes
Zinc Zn 65.38
  • Plant hormones
  • Stem elongation
  • Leaf expansion

 

 

References

Ohio State University (https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/agf-502)

Department of Primary Industries (https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/soils/improvement/plant-nutrients)

 
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