Sedimentation time measurements of soil particles by light scattering and determination of chromium, lead, and iron in soil samples via ICP

An overview is given of a six-hour, two-day chemistry laboratory activity that introduces general chemistry students to soil chemistry and physics in the context of chromium contamination in the environment. The activity demonstrates that chemical binding and pollutant transport in the environment are intricately linked. A key result is that chemistry occurring on the molecular scale can have consequences on the regional scale.