geochemistry
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of geochemistry
Explanation
Geochemistry is the study of the chemical makeup and processes of the earth, from its deep interior to its oceans and atmosphere. Despite the name, it also includes studying the chemical compositions and processes taking place on other planets. Geochemistry merges geology with chemistry. Geology is the study of the earth's physical structure, and chemistry explores the properties of substances and their reactions. Rather than just asking how a mountain formed, a geochemist asks what chemical elements the rocks contain and how they interact with the environment. This field is essential for understanding everything from volcanic eruptions to the chemical conditions required to support life on Earth and potentially on other planets.
Vocabulary lists containing geochemistry
Earth Science - Middle School
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Earth Science - High School
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Earth Materials and Systems - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One of the bill’s supporters was Francois Tissot, a Caltech geochemistry professor who has not returned to his smoke-damaged Altadena house.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
Isotopic geochemistry suggests the molten material came from Archean continental crust dating between 3.0 and 3.3 billion years old.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 1, 2026
This concept sits at the meeting point of astrobiology, geochemistry, material science, construction engineering, and robotics.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 6, 2026
Methane detected on their surfaces has the tell-tale signs of warm or even hot geochemistry in their rocky cores, which is markedly different than the signature of methane from a comet.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 15, 2024
With experts in sedimentology, paleontology, geochemistry, biogeochemistry and mathematical modeling, the group literally dug deep to geochemically analyze hundreds of samples scattered across different continents.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 7, 2023
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
