Nitrate and phosphate are both anionic compounds, however nitrate leaches more readily than phosphate. Which of the following statements best describes the reason for this?

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Question restatement: The prompt asks why nitrate leaches more readily than phosphate even though both are anionic compounds, and provides four options to choose from.
Option 1: 'nitrate is strongly adsorbed' – This is incorrect. In soils, nitrate is typically not strongly adsorbed by soil surfaces because it is a small, highly mobile anion that does not form strong bonds with soil colloids. Therefore, nitrate tends to move with percolating water, contributing to leaching.
Option 2: 'phosphate is rapidly utilised by plants' – While plants do take up phosphate, this does not explain the leaching behavior in a soil profile. Utilization by plants reduces the pool of phosphate available, but the primary reason phosphate leaches less is its tendency to be retained by soil particles, not merely rapid plant uptake.
Option 3: 'nitrate is not utilised by plants' – This is inaccurate. Plants do uptake nitrate, and it is indeed used as a nitrogen source. The statement mischaracterizes plant physiology and does not address the leaching mechanism.
Option 4: 'phosphate is strongly adsorbed' – This is correct. Phosphate ions readily bind to soil minerals, especially iron and aluminum oxides and clay surfaces, forming inner-sphere or outer-sphere complexes. This strong adsorption reduces phosphate mobility and slows leaching, whereas nitrate remains largely unadsorbed and moves with drainage water.
Summary: The core concept is that the differential sorption to soil particles controls mobility. Nitrate’s weak adsorption makes it highly leachable, while phosphate’s strong adsorption to soil surfaces limits its leaching potential. The correct choice reflects the adsorption behavior of phosphate being strongly adsorbed, which explains its reduced leaching relative to nitrate.

MERGE_2025_0322 Quiz 5 Week 8 and 9 revision

Nitrate and phosphate are both anionic compounds, however nitrate leaches more readily than phosphate. Which of the following statements best describes the reason for this?

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