The first step we are going to take in order to know the meaning of the term geochemistry is to discover its etymological origin. In this case, we can establish that it is a word of Greek origin that is the result of the sum of several lexical components of said language:
-The noun “geos”, which is synonymous with “earth”.
-The term “khymos”, which can be translated as “juice”.
-The suffix “-ico”, which is used to indicate “relative to”.
Likewise, you should know that the term in question was first used by the Swiss chemist Christian Friedrich Schönbein. Specifically, he used it and made it known in the first half of the 19th century, in 1838.
Geochemistry is a scientific discipline aimed at the analysis of the quantity, combination and distribution of chemical elements in the crust of planet Earth . As its name indicates, this field of study is supported by the contributions of geology and chemistry .
A chemical element is a substance made up of atoms that, beyond the number of neutrons, have the same number of protons in their nucleus . These elements are found in the atmosphere, water, living beings and the minerals that make up rocks.
A geochemistry specialist is dedicated to studying the composition of chemical elements and the different dynamics that are established between them. These studies allow us to determine the relative and absolute abundance of each element, as well as its distribution on the Earth's surface.
Knowing the abundance of the elements, on the other hand, allows us to generate hypotheses about the origin of the planet and the rest of the universe. Oxygen is the most abundant element on Earth , followed by silicon, aluminum and iron.
Thanks to geochemistry we can establish that the human being has knowledge of what the geological facet of the Earth is, of the distribution that the different chemical elements have on our planet, of the changes that have taken place in it in the geological past... What's more, we can establish that thanks to this discipline, predictions can also be made about what changes the Earth will experience in these areas in the future.
Geochemistry experts can work in different areas. The search for oil , gas and gold, among many other substances; the diagnosis of environmental alterations caused by pollution; and the evaluation of water and land quality are some of the actions that can be carried out with the contribution of a geochemist.
Starting from this premise we can establish that geochemistry is very important when studying volcanism, the effects produced by the so-called acid rain , the inventory of chemical resources that exist on our planet or the water that comes from what They are different mining operations.
It should be noted that geochemistry uses technology to develop its studies. Very complex equipment is needed to detect the presence of chemical elements, quantify it and analyze it.