The five major branches of chemistry are as follows:
Analytical chemistry
Analytical chemistry focuses on matter. It determines, processes and explains the structure of matter. Analytical chemistry is very versatile and so has links with many strands of chemistry and even science as a whole. Analytical chemistry uses both qualitative and quantitative data when researching.
Biochemistry
Biochemistry focuses on living organisms and living matter. Biochemistry is strongly associated with studies in underwater life and has close links with many of the life sciences.
Inorganic chemistry
Inorganic chemistry is associated with the study of synthesis. You will find that inorganic chemistry is widely used in many of the mainstream industries such as medicine, agriculture and fuel.
Physical chemistry
Physical chemistry deals with the physical laws such as motion, time, force and energy. It is closely linked to a lot of psychics and is responsible for the kinetic theory and chemical energetics.
Organic chemistry
Organic chemistry is mainly focused on structures, properties and composition. You will find that work done in organic chemistry helps greatly with the drugs, food and explosives industry.
Although chemistry has many sub-categories and a lot can be seen as being interlinked with each other, it is commonly agreed that the five major branches of chemistry are the ones listed above.
Analytical Chemistry The collection of techniques and methods used to gain an understanding of the chemical composition and structure of materials. Qualitative and quantitative methods are two of the more basic methods used in this discipline. The methods can be used in all the other branches of chemistry.
Biochemistry The chemistry of life-processes and living organisms.Biochemistry and organic chemistry are closely related.Biochemists focus on the structures of biological molecules and their physical properties.Common biological molecules include carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids.
Inorganic Chemistry The study of reactions and properties of compounds which do not contain hydrocarbons - carbon and hydrogen and which are not organic.
Organic Chemistry The study of compounds consisting primarily of hydrocarbons which provide the primary material of all organic compounds. Hundreds of thousands of carbon-based molecules exist because carbon atoms are able to form long branched chains and rings. Because they make up the majority of compounds in living organisms organic compounds are of special importance. They form coal and oil. Some of the most studied organic compounds are those that contain nitrogen. This is because These have importance because they are linked to amino acids which are the building blocks of proteins and life.
Physical Chemistry Physical Chemistry deals with the application of physical laws to chemical change and chemical systems.
There are several subcategories of physical chemistry, including chemical kinetics, electrochemistry and thermodynamics. The later is widely studied and deals with the role of energy in chemical reactions. Chemical kinetics is concerned with mechanisms and rates of reactions. Electrochemistry is concerned with the effects of electricity on chemical changes as well of the conversion of chemical to electrical energy and vise versa.
Nuclear Chemistry The study of the chemical effects of high energy radiation and the behaviour of radio-active isotopes. These are atoms of the same element that vary in the number of neutrons they contain.
Geochemistry The chemistry ( and physics) of processes taking place in the earth. Examples are the formation of petroleum, the metamophosis of rocks and mineral formation.
The science of chemistry has been subdivided into the following important branches depending upon the aspects, nature and scope of study covered.
Inorganic chemistry: This mainly deals with the study of all the elements and their properties, preparation and applications of their compounds.
Organic chemistry: Although carbon ranks seventeenth in the order of the abundance in the earth's crust, it forms the largest number of compounds, next to hydrogen. Organic chemistry deals with all aspects of carbon and its compounds.
Physical chemistry: The theoretical and mechanical aspects of chemical reactions are dealt within the study of physical chemistry.
Biochemistry: This branch of chemistry involves the study of chemical changes and reactions occurring within living systems and in life processes.
Analytical chemistry: the study of constituents and their identification in chemical substances is studied in analytical chemistry. These studies can either be qualitative or quantitative in nature.
There are several specialized branches of chemistry, such as, radiochemistry, electrochemistry, sonochemistry, photochemistry, biological chemistry, theoretical chemistry, phytochemistry, geochemistry, bioorganic chemistry, medicinal chemistry and so on.
The woman who worked with the African Grey Parrot was trained as a theoretical chemist. ( memory escapes me as to her name, but the bird's name was Alex )
The sub-branches of chemistry are inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, physical chemistry. And they aslo contain biochemistry, material chemistry and catalytic chemistry.
