This course is a qualitative and quantitative treatment of chemical processes in natural systems such as lakes, rivers, groundwater, oceans, and the atmosphere. General topics include equilibrium thermodynamics, acid-base equilibria, the carbonic acid system, oxidation-reduction reactions in nature, and isotope geochemistry. The associated lab course (E&ES 251) must be taken concurrently if offered. The lab course will be a service-learning course in which students work with a community organization to solve an environmental problem or a semester-long research project.
There are no official prerequisite classes, but students should be comfortable with chemical concepts or should have taken introductory college chemistry or advanced high school chemistry courses. |