| Introduction to thermodynamics : Laws of thermodynamics and thermodynamic potentials. Energetics and Mineral stability : Enthalpy changes in mineral transformation, Entropy (configurational, electronic, vibrational), Gibbs free energy and equilibrium, determination of thermodynamic quantities, Landau theory of phase transition and its application to minerals. Solid solution : Enthalpy and free energy, equilibrium phase diagram, chemical potential, order-disorder. Kinetics of mineral processes : energy and entropy, rate equation and rate constant, determination of activation energy. Exsolution : Homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation in solids, kinetics, growth of precipitate, accomodation of strain, TTT diagrams, diffusion, spinodal decomposition. Structural phase transition : Reconstructive polymorphic transition, tranformation caused by dislocation and high pressure, incommensurate structures, order-disorder transition in minerals, Magnetic transition. Elemental fractionation : Fractionation of major and trace elements, metal-silicate fractionation(magma ocean and core formation), effect of temperature and oxygen fugaciity on metal silicate partitioning. |