Chemical fundamentals of geology and environmental geoscience (Third edition.)

Chemical principles are fundamental to the Earth sciences, andgeoscience students increasingly require a firm grasp of basicchemistry to succeed in their studies. The enlarged third editionof this highly regarded textbook introduces the student to such‘geo–relevant’ chemistry, presented in the same lucidand accessible style as earlier editions, but the new edition hasbeen strengthened in its coverage of environmental geoscience andincorporates a new chapter introducing isotope geochemistry.

The book comprises three broad sections. The first (Chapters1–4) deals with the basic physical chemistry of geologicalprocesses. The second (Chapters 5–8) introduces thewave–mechanical view of the atom and explains the various types ofchemical bonding that give Earth  materials their diverse anddistinctive properties. The final chapters (9–11) survey thegeologically relevant elements and isotopes, and explain theirformation and their abundances in the cosmos and the Earth. Thebook concludes with an extensive glossary of terms; appendicescover basic maths, explain basic solution chemistry, and list thechemical elements and the symbols, units and constants used in thebook.