It has long been realized that the mineral assemblages of igneous and metamorphic rocks may reflect the approach of a rock to chemical eCluilibrium during its formation. However progress in the application of chemical thermodynamics to geological systems has been hindered since the time of Bowen and the other early physical-chemical petrologists by the recurring Cluandary of the experimental geologist. His systems are complex and are experimentally intractable, but if they were not so refractory they would not be there to study at all. It is only recently that accurate measurements of the thermodynamic properties of pure, or at least well-defined minerals, melts and volatile fluid phases, combined with experimental and theoretical studies of their mixing properties, have made it possible to calculate the eCluilibrium conditions for particular rock systems. Much work is now in progress to extend the ranges of com position and conditions for which sufficient data exist to enable such calculations to be made. Moreover the routine availability of the electron microprobe will ensure that the demand for such information will continue to increase. The thermodynamic techniClues reCluired to apply these data to geological problems are intrinsically simple and merely involve the combination of appropriate standard state data together with corrections for the effects of solution in natural minerals, melts or volatile fluids.

Illustrates the usefulness of the thermodynamic approach to geological problems by means of examples based on natural rock systems.

This book presents the fundamental principles of thermodynamics for geosciences, based on the author’s own courses over a number of years. Many examples help to understand how mineralogical problems can be solved by applying thermodynamic principles.

This textbook provides an intuitive yet mathematically rigorous introduction to the thermodynamics and thermal physics of planetary processes. It demonstrates how the workings of planetary bodies can be understood in depth by reducing them to fundamental physics and chemistry. The book is based on two courses taught by the author for many years at the University of Georgia. It includes 'Guided Exercise' boxes; end-of-chapter problems (worked solutions provided online); and software boxes (Maple code provided online). As well as being an ideal textbook on planetary thermodynamics for advanced students in the Earth and planetary sciences, it also provides an innovative and quantitative complement to more traditional courses in geological thermodynamics, petrology, chemical oceanography and planetary science. In addition to its use as a textbook, it is also of great interest to researchers looking for a 'one stop' source of concepts and techniques that they can apply to their research problems.

A textbook providing a quantitative approach to the petrologic principles of igneous and metamorphic rocks in a new edition.

A text providing a systematic introduction to the application of thermodynamics to chemical reactions occurring in the earth's geological environment, for undergraduate and postgraduate geochemistry, geology, and environmental science students. It covers three essential topics: thermodynamic principles; thermodynamic properties of geological materials; and the use of thermodynamic data with graphical and computational techniques to predict properties of mineral and fluid assemblies. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Thermodynamics sets fundamental laws for all physical processes and is central to driving and maintaining planetary dynamics. But how do Earth system processes perform work, where do they derive energy from, and what are the limits? This accessible book describes how the laws of thermodynamics apply to Earth system processes, from solar radiation to motion, geochemical cycling and biotic activity. It presents a novel view of the thermodynamic Earth system explaining how it functions and evolves, how different forms of disequilibrium are being maintained, and how evolutionary trends can be interpreted as thermodynamic trends. It also offers an original perspective on human activity, formulating this in terms of a thermodynamic, Earth system process. This book uses simple conceptual models and basic mathematical treatments to illustrate the application of thermodynamics to Earth system processes, making it ideal for researchers and graduate students across a range of Earth and environmental science disciplines.

Volume 17 of Reviews in Mineralogy is based on a short course, entitled "Thermodynamic Modeling of Geological Materials: Minerals, Fluids amd Melts," October 22-25, 1987, at the Wickenburg Inn near Phoenix, Arizona. Contents: Thermodynamic Analysis of Phase Equilibria in Simple Mineral Systems Models of Crystalline solutions Thermodynamics of Multicomponent Systems Containing Several Solid Solutions Thermodynamic Model for Aqueous Solutions of Liquid-like Density Models of Mineral Solubility in Concentrated Brines with Application to Field Observations Calculation of the Thermodynamic Properties of Aqueous Species and the Solubilities of Minerals in Supercritical Electrolyte Solutions Igneous Fluids Ore Fluids: Magmatic to Supergene Thermodynamic Models of Molecular Fluids at the Elevated Pressures and Temperatures of Crustal Metamorphism Mineral Solubilities and Speciation in Supercritical Metamorphic Fluids Development of Models for Multicomponent Melts: Analysis of Synthetic Systems Modeling Magmatic Systems: Thermodynamic Relations Modeling Magmatic Systems: Petrologic Applications

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the field of geochemistry. The book first lays out the ‘geochemical toolbox’: the basic principles and techniques of modern geochemistry, beginning with a review of thermodynamics and kinetics as they apply to the Earth and its environs. These basic concepts are then applied to understanding processes in aqueous systems and the behavior of trace elements in magmatic systems. Subsequent chapters introduce radiogenic and stable isotope geochemistry and illustrate their application to such diverse topics as determining geologic time, ancient climates, and the diets of prehistoric peoples. The focus then broadens to the formation of the solar system, the Earth, and the elements themselves. Then the composition of the Earth itself becomes the topic, examining the composition of the core, the mantle, and the crust and exploring how this structure originated. A final chapter covers organic chemistry, including the origin of fossil fuels and the carbon cycle’s role in controlling Earth’s climate, both in the geologic past and the rapidly changing present. Geochemistry is essential reading for all earth science students, as well as for researchers and applied scientists who require an introduction to the essential theory of geochemistry, and a survey of its applications in the earth and environmental sciences. Additional resources can be found at: www.wiley.com/go/white/geochemistry

Based on a university course, this book provides an exposition of a large spectrum of geological, geochemical and geophysical problems that are amenable to thermodynamic analysis. It also includes selected problems in planetary sciences, relationships between thermodynamics and microscopic properties, particle size effects, methods of approximation of thermodynamic properties of minerals, and some kinetic ramifications of entropy production. The textbook will enable graduate students and researchers alike to develop an appreciation of the fundamental principles of thermodynamics, and their wide ranging applications to natural processes and systems.