Offered alternate years. Prereq. one year of college chemistry, one semester of calculus, and one semester of physical geology, or consent of instructor. One semester of mineralogy recommended. The chemical properties of elements control their geological distribution and underlie the basic physical properties of rocks. An understanding of geochemistry will help students understand water chemistry, sediment geochemistry, and igneous petrology. The course covers chemical principles applied to geologic materials and processes, including the origin and chemical composition of earth, atmosphere, and hydrosphere. Principles of stable and radiogenic isotope geochemistry are discussed. Students will use excel to solve problems. Class discussions, problems sets, and exams are used to assess student performance.