The 'Major' Branches of Chemistry
WARM UP
- What branches of chemistry are you studying?
- Which one interests you most?
- Which one do you find more difficult? Why?
What is chemistry?
Chemistry1 is the study of the composition, behaviour, and properties of matter, and of the elements of the Earth and its atmosphere. Chemistry may be pure science or applied science, but there is no sharp line of demarcation between the two.
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1 Alchemy is considered the predecessor of chemistry. Its two principal goals were transmutation of the baser metals into gold and the discovery of a universal remedy (the production of an elixir which gave health to those who drank it). It included elements of chemistry, philosophy, astrology, and medicine.
Pure chemistry
Pure chemistry refers to pure research – it just tries to have a better understanding of the properties of existing matter. It is divided into three main branches: organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and physical chemistry.
- Organic chemistry deals with the study of compounds containing carbon chemically bonded to hydrogen. It is the study of chemicals in living organisms and of all the chemical reactions related to life.
- Inorganic chemistry focuses on non-living matter and non-carbon based substances. Non-organic materials do not contain a carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bond. Compounds studied by inorganic chemists include crystal structures, minerals, metals, catalysts, and most elements on the Periodic Table.
- Physical chemistry analyses how matter and energy interact. It deals with the principles and methodologies of both chemistry and physics and studies how chemical structure influences the physical properties of a substance.
Applied chemistry
Applied chemistry deals with the application of the principles and theories of chemistry to practical purposes. The two main branches of applied chemistry are analytical chemistry and biochemistry.
- Analytical chemistry is the study involving how we analyse the chemical components of samples. Analytical chemistry is divided into two main areas: qualitative and quantitative analysis.
- The former involves the determination of the components of substances.
- The latter helps to identify how much of each component is present in a substance. Most modern analytical chemistry is quantitative. Examples of areas using analytical chemistry include forensic science, environmental science, and drug testing.
- Biochemistry is the branch of chemistry which focuses on the chemical reactions and processes that occur inside living organisms. Biochemistry is concerned with the structure and chemical processes of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and other molecules found in or produced by organisms.
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1 Do you know what forensic chemistry is? Surf the net to find information.