Specific Surface

Surface area largely determines many physical and chemical properties of materials. Physical adsorption of molecules, heat loss or gain resulting from that adsorption, swelling and shrinking, and many other physical and chemical processes are closely related to surface area. Surface or exposed area is also closely related to and often the controlling factor in many biological processes. Soils vary widely in their reactive surface because of differences in mineralogical and organic composition and in their particle-size distribution. Water retention and movement, cation exchange capacity, and pesticide adsorption are closely related to the specific surface (defined as the surface area per unit mass of soil). Specific surface is usually expressed in square meters per gram (m2/g)

Specific Surface

Surface area largely determines many physical and chemical properties of materials. Physical adsorption of molecules, heat loss or gain resulting from that adsorption, swelling and shrinking, and many other physical and chemical processes are closely related to surface area. Surface or exposed area is also closely related to and often the controlling factor in many biological processes. Soils vary widely in their reactive surface because of differences in mineralogical and organic composition and in their particle-size distribution. Water retention and movement, cation exchange capacity, and pesticide adsorption are closely related to the specific surface (defined as the surface area per unit mass of soil). Specific surface is usually expressed in square meters per gram (m2/g)