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Chemist Chemistry is the study of the different elements which make up our world, and how they interact to form the world around us. Earth science relies heavily on chemistry. The study of chemistry provides us with the tools to answer questions such as "What are the Earth and atmosphere made of? How have they changed over the years? How is human activity changing their composition?" Mankind has changed his environment in many subtle ways; one of them is through the introduction of chemical compounds into the air and water which either would not have occured naturally or would have been different without man's presence. Our ability to measure these compounds, many of which are present in very small amounts, relies on the developments of chemical techniques and our ability to apply them from the surface, balloons, aircraft, and satellites. Examples of important Earth science problems whose study requires knowledge of chemistry include the formation of atmospheric aerosols from volcanic eruptions and industrial pollution, destruction of ozone from industrially produced molecules such as chloro-fluorocarbons, and global air pollution from fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning. If you want to understand and explain how the elements affect each of us through the water we drink and the air we breathe, earth science needs you! Updated: January 22, 2003