ENVSCI 341: The Geochemistry of a Habitable Planet

Geochemistry is a unique field integrating geology and chemistry to tell the story of a planet. In this class, we will use geochemistry to reconstruct the story of our Earth, a habitable planet. You will learn about the formation of elements in stars, the formation of Earth in the context of the solar system, the differentiation of the planet via igneous processes, the origin of the continents, the effects of water and CO2 on Earth climate, the source of fossil fuel and mineral resources, the origin of life, and our effect on the planet. Along the way, we will explore principles in isotope geochronology, trace element geochemistry, aqueous chemistry, stable isotope geochemistry and chemical proxies in dynamic systems.