Theoretical models of Gouy-Chapman and Stern, referred to diffuse double layer, were applied to three acric Oxisols, two named dusky red latosol and one Una variant latosol, from the São Paulo State - Brazil. Samples were collected in Ribeirão Preto and Guaira, regions of large occurrence of these soils, supporting many economic crops. In the highest concentration of the electrolyte (KC1 0.1N), the obtained values were better related to the Stern model. On the other hand, in more dilluted solutions (KC1 0.01 and 0.001N), corresponding to more usual ionic strenght of highly weathered soils, the variation of surface charge density of the samples with electric potential was in better agreement with the Gouy-Chapman theory.
acric oxisols; diffuse double layer; Gouy-Chapman and Stern models