| stry is generally divided into two broad branches: | | | | and magnetic behavior of materials, as well as their |
| organic chemistry and inorganic chemistry. Other | | | | interaction with electromagnetic fields. |
| types of chemistry include physical chemistry, | | | | There are several subcategories of physical |
| biochemistry, and analytical chemistry, with each field | | | | chemistry. These include thermochemistry, |
| branching off into several specific subfields. | | | | electrochemistry, and chemical kinetics. |
| Here’s a brief description of the most | | | | Thermochemistry studies the changes of entropy |
| common branches of chemistry. | | | | and energy that naturally occur during chemical |
| Organic Chemistry | | | | reactions. Electrochemistry is concerned with the |
| Organic Chemistry has to do with the study of | | | | study of interconversions of electric and chemical |
| compounds that contain carbon (and sometimes | | | | energy of matter, as well as the effects of |
| hydrogen). Even though carbon is only the fourteenth | | | | electricity on chemical changes. Chemical kinetics |
| most common element on the planet, it produces the | | | | involves the study of chemical reactions. Specifically, |
| greatest number of different compounds on Earth. | | | | chemical kinetics studies the equilibrium it reached |
| Not surprisingly then, much of the study of chemistry | | | | between products and their reactants. |
| involves organic chemistry. | | | | Biochemistry |
| The most studied groups of organic compounds are | | | | Biochemistry is a branch of chemistry concerned with |
| those that contain nitrogen. These organic | | | | the composition and changes of living matter. |
| compounds are important because they are often | | | | Biochemists commonly focus on the physical |
| linked to the amino group. When the amino group | | | | properties and structures of biological molecules. |
| combines with the carboxyl group, amino acids are | | | | Common biological molecules include carbohydrates, |
| born. Amino acids are important because they are as | | | | proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Biochemistry is |
| the building blocks of proteins. | | | | sometimes referred to as physiological chemistry and |
| Inorganic Chemistry | | | | biological chemistry. Biophysics, molecular biology, and |
| Inorganic chemistry involves the study the properties | | | | cell biology are research fields closely related to |
| and reactions of compounds that do not contain | | | | biochemistry. |
| carbon and which are not organic. Inorganic chemistry | | | | Analytical Chemistry |
| studies all non-living matter, such as minerals found in | | | | Unlike the other main types of chemistry, analytical |
| the Earth’s crust. There are many branches | | | | chemistry doesn’t deal specifically with |
| of inorganic chemistry, including geochemistry, nuclear | | | | specific elements. Analytical chemistry is concerned |
| science, coordination chemistry, and bioinorganic | | | | mainly with the various techniques and laboratory |
| chemistry. | | | | methods used to determine the composition of |
| There is much overlap between organic and inorganic | | | | materials. Qualitative and quantitative analysis are the |
| chemistry. For instance, organometallic chemistry | | | | two most basic methods used in analytical chemistry. |
| studies the use of compounds that are capable of | | | | Qualitative analysis has to do with identifying all the |
| creating a covalent bond between carbon and metal. | | | | atoms and molecules in a sample of matter, with |
| Physical Chemistry | | | | attention paid to trace elements. Quantitative analysis |
| As its name implies, physical chemistry has to do with | | | | also involves determining the atomical and molecular |
| the physical properties of materials. Physical | | | | structure of matter, but includes also measuring the |
| properties that are studied may include the electrical | | | | exact weight of each chemical constituent. |