After successfully completing this course, the students will:

·       Be able to evaluate to what extent a chemical reaction will take place in a given system, based on the relevant energy terms.

·       Be able to calculate equilibrium concentrations for chemical species in a specific system.

·       Be familiar with the concepts of acid-base chemistry and able to calculate pH, buffer capacity and alkalinity in a given system.

·       Understand how acid-base chemistry can be applied to understand ocean acidification.

·       Be familiar with the concepts of redox chemistry, able to set up redox reaction based on half reactions and determine the redox speciation in a given system using the standard redox potential of the overall reaction.

·       Be able to relate the combined influence of acid-base and redox chemistry on chemical speciation by means of pH-Eh diagrams.

·       Understand key concepts from chemical kinetics and be able to apply these concepts to asses reaction rates, orders and mechanisms.

·       Have an understanding of relevant properties of environmental surfaces and know how these properties can be examined.

·       Be able to qualitatively and quantitively asses surface sorption processes.

·       Have an understanding of mineral dissolution mechanisms.

In the Chemistry of System Earth course, students will become acquainted with basic chemical principles that are relevant in the context of sustainability. They will train their skills to quantitatively assess the chemistry in a system of interest.