Chemistry and its disciplines

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• What is chemistry?
• What is the relation of chemistry with other branches of science?
• What are the main disciplines of chemistry?

CHEMISTRY:

Chemistry is defined as the study of matter (anything that occupies space, has mass and with physical existence) of the universe, its properties, composition, and changes that occur in them. For instance, the air is matter, what is its composition, what changes occur in it, and what are the properties of air? is a matter of science.

Chemistry is just the sub-discipline of science. Science is the study of nature. It is the study in which observation and made and based on these observations experiments are performed to draw conclusions to understand the natural activities of the universe. As the universe is so vast so it was not possible to study the whole universe in one discipline, so it was divided into different branches of science. i.e. Biology, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Geology, etc.

These branches have some aspects in common, so these branches overlap and form interdisciplinary sciences. For example, physics and chemistry overlap in the field called physical chemistry, and in the same way, biology and chemistry overlap in the field called biochemistry.

 

DISCIPLINES OF CHEMISTRY:

There are many branches of chemistry but it is divided into five main disciplines. These are given as 

PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY:

This discipline deals with the study of the physical state of matter, changes in it, and atomic properties of matter. In this field, we study rates of reactions, energy transformations, thermodynamics, and structures of physical material at the microscopic level.

ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY:

This discipline deals with the study of the composition and structure of matter. In this field, we study how to separate, identify and classify samples by use of different instruments and techniques.

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY:

This discipline deals with the study of compounds containing carbon. However, some compounds contain carbon but are not organic such as carbonates, bicarbonates, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide, etc. In this field, we may study the structure, properties, and mechanisms of different reactions of organic molecules.

INORGANIC CHEMISTRY:

This discipline deals with the study of compounds other than organic compounds such as carbonates, bicarbonates, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide, etc. In this field, we study the inorganic compound, their structures, properties, and applications.

BIOCHEMISTRY:

This discipline deals with the study of chemicals and chemical changes that occur in living organisms. In this field, we study different reactions that occur in living things, diseases, and the chemical nature of these diseases.

SUMMARY:

• Chemistry is the study of matter, changes, properties, and structure of different matters of the universe.
• Chemistry has some relation with other branches of chemistry.
  
• There are five main disciplines of chemistry i.e. Physical Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, and Biochemistry.