Chemistry of the Natural Environment

Catalog description

Environmental Chemistry is the study of how materials move through the environment and interact within different environmental systems, including the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. In this course, we will use this approach to better understand the chemical and physical reactions taking place and their equilibrium in the natural environment on Earth. The course will investigate these chemical and physical interactions in the three unique environmental compartments of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and the soil environment, where the lithosphere and biosphere overlap, as we learn more about the materials and reactions that make up the natural environment. Students will utilize problem solving to explore the materials and reactions of the major compartments.