Thermodynamics for Geoscientists
MIT OpenCourseWare offers this advanced earth sciences course applying thermodynamic principles to igneous and metamorphic petrology. Students learn to infer the physical conditions under which rocks form and change, working through phase equilibria in both homogeneous and heterogeneous systems and thermodynamic modeling of non-ideal crystalline solutions. The course surveys how metamorphic and igneous rocks form across the major tectonic settings found in the Earth's crust and mantle, connecting mineral chemistry to plate tectonic processes. Materials follow MIT's OpenCourseWare format, drawing on lecture notes, problem sets, and readings freely published under a Creative Commons license, with no certificate offered. The course targets students who already have grounding in mineralogy and physical chemistry and want to apply quantitative thermodynamic reasoning to real rock systems rather than encountering the subject for the first time.