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What is Geochemistry?
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Geochemistry encompasses research of:
the solid Earth
the hydrosphere (oceans, lakes, rivers)
the biosphere
the atmosphere
the solar system
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Geochemistry is the study of:
the chemical composition of the Earth and other planets
the chemical processes and reactions that govern the composition
of rocks, water, and soils
the cycles of matter and energy that transport the Earth's chemical
components in time and space
Did you know?
There are 90 naturally occuring chemical elements.
8 of them make up 99% of the mass of the Earth:
Fe (32%), O (30%), Si (15%), Mg (14%), S (3%),
Ni (2%), Ca (1.5%), Al (1.5%).
Z=
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Sr
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A geochemist’s toolkit:
Geochemists use elemental abundances
(major elements: percent range; trace
elements: parts-per-million range) and
isotopic ratios (like “fingerprints”).
Geochemistry helps increase our
understanding of:
climate change
mantle evolution
planet formation
the origin of mineral deposits
the human impact on the environment
(...just to name a few.)