Description
Book SynopsisINTRODUCTION TO Geochemistry This book is intended to serve as a text for an introductory course in geochemistry for undergraduate/ graduate students with at least an elementary-level background in earth sciences, chemistry, and mathematics. The text, containing 83 tables and 181 figures, covers a wide variety of topics ranging from atomic structure to chemical and isotopic equilibria to modern biogeochemical cycles which are divided into four interrelated parts: Crystal Chemistry; Chemical Reactions (and biochemical reactions involving bacteria); Isotope Geochemistry (radiogenic and stable isotopes); and The Earth Supersystem, which includes discussions pertinent to the evolution of the solid Earth, the atmosphere, and the hydrosphere.
In keeping with the modern trend in the field of geochemistry, the book emphasizes computational techniques by developing appropriate mathematical relations, solving a variety of problems to illustrate application of the mathematical rela
Trade Review
“This is a good book to study if you want to build your understanding of geochemistry on a solid quantitative footing.” (Open University Geological Society Journal, 1 May 2013)
“Overall, this seems to be a useful book for its intended audience . . . I would recommend the book to those outside of geochemistry to expand their knowledge of the topic before entering the subject matter at a higher level.” (
Chromatographia, 28 March 2013)
“Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students and above.” (Choice, 1 January 2013)
“Overall this is an impressively thorough and up-to-date text that is aimed at the ‘geological’ geochemist and I would certainly recommend it to such an audience.” (Geological Magazine, 2012)
Table of ContentsPreface xiii
1 Introduction 1
Part I Crystal Chemistry 7
2 Atomic Structure 9
3 Chemical Bonding 23
Part II Chemical Reactions 49
4 Basic Thermodynamic Concepts 51
5 Thermodynamics of Solutions 79
6 Geothermometry and Geobarometry 107
7 Reactions Involving Aqueous Solutions 134
8 Oxidation–Reduction Reactions 167
9 Kinetics of Chemical Reactions 197
Part III Isotope Geochemistry 223
10 Radiogenic Isotopes 225
11 Stable Isotopes 253
Part IV The Earth Supersystem 281
12 The Core–Mantle–Crust System 283
13 The Crust–Hydrosphere–Atmosphere System 326
Appendix 1 Units of measurement and physical constants 372
Appendix 2 Electronic configurations of elements in ground state 374
Appendix 3 First ionization potential, electron affinity, electronegativity (Pauling scale), and coordination numbers of selected elements 377
Appendix 4 Thermodynamic symbols 379
Appendix 5 Standard state (298.15 K, 105 Pa) thermodynamic data for selected elements, ionic species, and compounds 382
Appendix 6 Fugacities of H2O and CO2 in the range 0.5–10.0 kbar and 200–1000°C 396
Appendix 7 Equations for activity coefficients in multicomponent regular solid solutions 398
Appendix 8 Some commonly used computer codes for modeling of geochemical processes in aqueous solutions 400
Appendix 9 Solar system abundances of the elements in units of number of atoms per 106 silicon atoms 402
Appendix 10 Answers to selected chapter–end questions 403
References 406
Index 431
