"There's no bismuth like show bismuth" *
ESS 312 Labs
Labs are an important part of this class. Much of what you learn will be through solving the problems presented in the labs. These will teach you how to approach a geochemical process or problem, translate it into chemical and mathematical statements, and solve them using the principles discussed in lectures. Lab sessions will extend the material introduced in lectures, and provide you with an opportunity to talk with instructors and TAs about fundamental concepts, analogies, and other applications, as well as any diffiuclties you may be having with the class. Be sure to complete the lab exercises in full, and on time - they are worth 40% of your final grade.Hint - Material from the labs will surely turn up in the midterm and final exams.
Labs commence the first week of classes. However, the first lab is a set of review questions to remind you about chemical formulas, molar calculations, stoichiometry, equilibria, simple differential equations and time series. If you're confident about these topics, there's no need to attend this first week - feel free to work on the problem set at home. Download it from the link below.
Many of the labs are computer-based and will be held in 021 Johnson Hall. About half the labs involve modeling geochemical processes using Microsoft EXCEL. If you haven't used EXCEL to enter mathematical formulae, do calculations and make graphs, be sure to talk to John or a TA who can give you a quick tutorial. It's easy, and quite powerful, but takes a bit of practice. By the end of the class you'll be an expert.
Lab schedule
Date Lab Materials Due date Post-Spring-Break limbering-up problems Review problems (MSWord) 8 April Crystal chemistry, silicate mineral structures Part 1 Close-packed lattices (MSWord) 15 April Thermodynamics: diamond stability, silica polymorphs Graphite-Diamond lab 22 April Trace Elements: Clues to the formation and differentiation of magmas Trace elements lab (MSWord) 4 May Radioisotopes in geochemistry Radioactivity problems (MSWord) 11 May Radioisotopes in geochemistry - degassing history of the Earth from argon isotopes* K-Ar lab (MSWord) 13 May Aqueous geochemistry and weathering reactions Weathering lab (MSWord) 27 May Biogeochemistry - Climate records from trace elements and stable isotopes in corals Coral lab (MSWord) 1 June (note - due early so we can grade it) Geochemical cycles - a simple model of the carbon cycle Carbon cycle lab (MSWord) 3 June - grade in class
