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A Calcite Dissolution Model for the Estimation of Particle Size Distribution
Author(s) -
Von Tress M.,
Loeppert R. H.,
Matis J. H.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1985.03615995004900020005x
Subject(s) - calcite , particle size , particle (ecology) , particle size distribution , dissolution , stochastic modelling , statistical physics , mathematics , mineralogy , physics , statistics , chemistry , geology , oceanography
Since reactions of solid phase carbonates generally occur as surface reactions, the reactive surface area and particle size distribution become important considerations. The objective of this study was to develop and test a stochastic model for the dissolution of calcite in which particle size is treated as a random variable. When used in conjunction with pH‐stat steady‐state dissolution procedure, the stochastic model provides a method to obtain estimates of particle size distribution of calcite in mixed particle size systems. The stochastic model was developed from a deterministic model which is based on the equal diameter reduction hypothesis. The deterministic model differs from the stochastic model in that a uniform particle size is assumed in the former and a distribution of particle sizes in the latter. Particle distribution was expressed according to the beta function, which was selected because of its flexibility. The stochastic model represented an improvement over the deterministic model in description of the dissolution of calcite under steady‐state conditions. This improvement is due to the fact that a sample of particles in nature is more realistically described according to a distribution of particle sizes than as a single particle size.