Syllabus
Structure and properties of matter: (1) atom, nucleus and isotopes, electron shells, hybridization, valence orbitals; (2) chemical bond, definition and types of bonding, relations to physical and chemical properties of matter; (3) coordination of atoms, structure of solid and liquid phases, Pauling rules, introduction to crystal chemistry. Properties, transformations and cycles of natural materials: (1) units of measure, quantity calculus, concentration scales; (2) introduction to thermodynamics, thermodynamic laws, forms and transformations of energy; (3) phase diagrams and their applications to solid phases, melts and aqueous solutions; (4) chemical equilibrium, acid-base and oxidation-reduction reactions (5) kinetics of chemical reactions, properties of mineral surfaces and interfaces, crystal growth, absorption; (6) radioactive decay, global chemical fluxes and cycles. Analysis of geological materials and their structure:(1) types of radiation, interaction of radiation with matter, X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy; (2) spectroscopic methods (optical, absorption and emission methods; Raman, infrared, X-ray and Mössbauer spectroscopy; nuclear magnetic resonance.
Annotation
This introductory undergraduate course provides a survey of general, inorganic and physical chemistry, and their applications to geological processes. It consists of three sections: (i) structure of atoms, molecules and matter, (ii) transformations of matter and energy in nature, and (iii) analysis of geological materials.