ESS 385 - Chemistry of Earth Processes

4 hours
The distribution and significance of elements and chemical compounds in Earth’s systems. Topics emphasize the origin of elements, behavior of trace elements, radioactive decay and geochronology, states of matter and thermodynamic stability, aqueous equilibria, and more. Laboratory consists of a semester-long project on the chemistry of natural waters, and includes analyses for major elements by wet chemistry, spectrophotometric methods, titration, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and more. Local day-trips to field areas. Prerequisite(s): ESS 105, CHEM 104. UG