Earth's Natural Resources

About this book

Earth's Natural Resources provides a thorough overview of the subject and details how natural resources relate to individuals and our society. It discusses how the Earth's natural resources form and change over time, how they are extracted for human use, and how we can continue to sustainably use them with our ever-growing global population. The text begins with the basics of energy-giving resources such as oil, natural gas, and coal, as well as alternative energy sources and nuclear power. It goes on to cover the earth's abundant and scarce metals, followed by elements used in agriculture, water and its distribution, quality, and usage. The final section highlights soil composition, minerals, and degradation. In each section, the author discusses the science of the element under consideration, as well as any environmental and sustainability concerns that have arisen as humans have harvested the resources with increasing effectiveness. Key Features of Earth's Natural Resources-Provides a thorough overview of our natural resources and how society affects these resources -Includes material on alternative energy sources -End-of-chapter material includes chapter summaries, key term listing, student problems, and reference for further reading -Instructor resources include: PowerPoint Image Bank, PowerPoint Lecture Slides, answers to end of chapter problems

Contents

  Chapter  1  Understanding the Earth's Natural Resources: An Introduction
Part  1  Energy Resources
  Chapter  2  Petroleum
  Chapter  3  Natural Gas, Coal, and Related Resources
  Chapter  4  Alternative Energy Resources
  Chapter  5  Nuclear Power
Part  2  Metals
  Chapter  6  Abundant Metals
  Chapter  7  Scarce Metals: Ferro-Alloy Metals
  Chapter  8  Scarce Metals: Base Metals
  Chapter  9  Scarce Metals: Precious and Specialty Metals
Part  3  Building and Industrial Material, Chemical Minerals, Fertilizer, and Gases
  Chapter  10  Building Material and Industrial Minerals
  Chapter  11  Chemicals from Evaporation of Water and Gaseous Elements from Air
Part  4  Water and Soil Resources
  Chapter  12  The Distribution and Movement of Water
  Chapter  13  Water Quality, Usage, and Law
  Chapter  14  Soil as a Resource

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Biography

John V. Walther’s graduate education culminated in a PhD degree in Geology from the University of California at Berkeley in 1978. While at Berkeley, he worked under the direction of the theoretical high-temperature/pressure solution geochemist, Prof. Harold C. Helgeson. He then spent two years at Yale University as a Gibbs Instructor in the Geology and Geophysics Department, where he learn hydrothermal experimental techniques from Prof. Philip Orville. In 1985 he accepted an appointment in Northwestern University’s Geological Sciences Department in Evanston, IL. At Northwestern he rose to the rank of Professor, served as Chair of the Department of Geological Sciences and was the founding director of Northwestern’s Environmental Science Program.

In 1994 Dr. Walther was appointed to the Matthews Chair of Geochemistry in the Geological Sciences Department at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. At S.M.U. he is the Director of the Environmental Sciences/Studies Program. His teaching responsibilities include courses in Oceanography, Resources and the Environment, Geochemistry, and Hydrogeology.