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COURSE OUTLINE: 

INTRODUCTION - What is geochemistry? 

TOPIC 1 - Origin of the elements 
A. Big bang theory 
B. Stellar evolution 
C. Nucleosynthesis 

TOPIC 2 - The atmosphere and its relationship to the crust and the hydrosphere 
A. Formation of the crust and the atmosphere 
B. The hydrosphere 
C. Origin of life 
D. Evolution of the atmosphere 
E. Composition of the atmosphere 
F. Reactivity of trace atmospheric components 
G. Primary vs. secondary air pollution 
H. Controls on acidity of precipitation - acid-base calculations 

TOPIC 3 - The terrestrial environment 
 A. Crystal chemistry 
     1. Ionic vs. covalent bonding 
     2. Electronegativity 
     3. Coordination chemistry and the radius ratio rule 
     4. Ionic radii 
     5. Pauling's rules 
     6. Structure of silicates 
B. Substitution of minor elements in minerals (solid solutions) 
     1. Goldschmidt's rules 
     2. Coupled substitutions 
     3. Incompatible and compatible elements 
     4. Camouflage, capture, admission 
C. Weathering 
     1. Dissolution (solubilities, solubility products, saturation indices) 
     2. Oxidation (Nernst equation, Eh-pH diagrams, acid-mine drainage) 
     3. Acid hydrolysis 
     4. Reaction kinetics 
     5. Solid products of weathering (clay minerals) 
D. Chemistry of continental waters 

TOPIC 4 - Radiogenic isotopes and geochronology 
A. Law of radioactivity 
B. Geochronometry equation 
C. K-Ar method 
D. Ar-Ar method
E. Rb-Sr method 
F. Sm-Nd method 
G. Re-Os method 
H. U, Th, Pb methods
I. Cosmogenic nuclides (¹⁴C, ¹⁰Be, ²⁶Al)

 TOPIC 5 - The oceans 
A. Colloids and estuarine processes 
B. Major ion chemistry of seawater (residence times) 
C. Elemental cycling 
D. Carbonate precipitation (carbonate compensation depth) 
E. Silica 
F. Sulfides 
G. Hydrothermal processes 
H. Minor element behavior (conservative vs. nutrient vs. scavenged behavior) 

If you meet the following conditions (not negotiable), the final will be optional: 1) No more than four absences throughout the course; 2) Perfect attendance in the last two weeks of the course; and 3) Final problem set handed in for a grade of 75% or better. If you meet these conditions, then the course grading will be: Problem Sets: 23.5%; four class exams: 76.5%.