Synonyms
Definition
In the Goldschmidt geochemical classification, atmophile (literally “gas-loving”) are those elements that are extremely volatile, i.e., they form gases or liquids at the surface of the Earth, and they are usually concentrated in the terrestrial atmosphere and hydrosphere. The atmophile elements are Hydrogen (H), Carbon (C), Nitrogen (N), and noble gases , namely Helium (He), Neon (Ne), Argon (Ar), Krypton (Kr), Xenon (Xe), and Radon (Rn).
Overview
Victor Moritz Goldschmidt, Swiss mineralogist and geologist is considered the father of geochemistry. His major achievement is the so-called Goldschmidt geochemical classification of the elements. The Goldschmidt geochemical classification of elements groups the chemical elements according to their preferred host phases within the Earth into lithophile (rock-loving), siderophile (iron-loving), chalcophile (sulfur-loving), and atmophile (gas-loving). For this reason,...
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Pinti, D.L. (2017). Atmophile Elements. In: White, W. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geochemistry. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39193-9_209-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39193-9_209-1
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