Geochemistry
John Ayers
, john.c.ayers@vanderbilt.edu
Vanderbilt University
a University with graduate programs, including doctoral programs
.Summary
Application of chemistry to study the distribution and cycling of elements in the crust of the earth. Includes chemical bonding and crystallization, phase rules and phase diagrams, chemical equilibria, theories on the origin of elements, earth, ocean, atmosphere, and crust.
less than 15
Course Context:
This is a standard Geochemistry course taken by upper level undergraduate and graduate students. Sometimes I offer a companion lab that focuses on sample collection, preparation, and analysis. Prerequisites are Mineralogy and one semester of Chemistry, but I waive the Chemistry requirement for students who are willing to do extra work to catch up.
Course Goals:
Students should be able to:
- read and understand articles in geochemical journals;
- apply geochemical principles to solve many types of geological problems;
- convey geochemical information in oral and written format.
How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:
Students complete six homework assignments that require application of quantitative problem solving skills. They research and write a term paper, which requires submission and grading of an outline, a first draft, and a final draft. They then give an oral presentation to the class.
Skills Goals
- quantitative problem solving
How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:
Students complete six homework assignments that require application of quantitative problem solving skills.
Attitudinal Goals
- building students confidence in course- or discipline-related abilities;
- showing that chemistry has useful applications to nearly all sub-disciplines of the Geosciences.
How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:
The complexity of course material and the difficulty of homework assignments increase gradually over the course of the semester. I also make a point of using examples from many different Geoscience disciplines in lectures, homework assignments, and tests.
Assessment
Grade all six homework assignments, two mid-term exams and a final exam. I also grade oral presentations, course participation, and draft and final versions of the term paper.
Syllabus:
Syllabus (Acrobat (PDF) 80kB Jun23 10)