Periodic Table

Sub-Specialities of CHEMISTRY

Chemistry has four major areas of interest and many sub-specialties.
1.  Organic Chemistry - The study of the element carbon and its compounds including living matter.
2.  Inorganic chemistry - The study of all other elements of non-living matter.
3.  Analytical chemistry - The study of " What is it?" or qualitative chemistry and "How much is there?"  which is quantitative chemistry.  Analytical chemistry is the analysis of compounds. 
4.  Physical Chemistry - The quantitative aspects of the physical properties of substances and their relationship to chemical structure and composition.
- - - - A few sub-specialties in chemistry are:
Biochemistry - The study of biologically active substances.
Polymer chemistry - The chemistry of long chained molecules.

Solid state chemistry - The behavior of solids.
Organometallic chemistry - The chemistry of compounds in which a metal is bonded in an organic compound.
o Liquid Crystal Chemistry
o Medicinal Chemistry
o Geochemistry
o Polymer Chemistry
o Photochemistry
o Materials Chemistry
o Electrochemistry
o Catalysis
o Physical Chemistry
o Spectroscopy
o Industrial and Applied Chemistry
o Separation Science and Chromatography
o Surface and Colloid Science
o Interfacial Chemistry
o Fuels And Petrochemicals
o Natural Product Chemistry

About Chemistry

Why Study Chemistry?

Because understanding chemistry helps you to understand the world around you. Cooking is chemistry. Everything you can touch or taste or smell is a chemical. When you study chemistry, you come to understand a bit about how things work. Chemistry isn't secret knowledge, useless to anyone but a scientist. It's the explanation for everyday things, like why laundry detergent works better in hot water or how baking soda works or why not all pain relievers work equally well on a headache. If you know some chemistry, you can make educated choices about everyday products that you use.

What Fields of Study Use Chemistry?

You could use chemistry in most fields, but it's commonly seen in the sciences and in medicine Chemists, physicists, biologists, and engineers study chemistry. Doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, physical therapists, and veterinarians all take chemistry courses. Science teachers study chemistry. Fire fighters and people who make fireworks learn about chemistry. So do truck drivers, plumbers, artists, hairdressers, chefs... the list is extensive.

What Do Chemists Do?

Whatever they want. Some chemists work in a lab, in a research environment, asking questions and testing hypotheses with experiments. Other chemists may work on a computer developing theories or models or predicting reactions. Some chemists do field work. Others contribute advice on chemistry for projects. Some chemists write. Some chemists teach. The career options are extensive

What Is Chemistry ?

Chemistry is the study of matter and energy and the interactions between them. This is also the definition for physics, by the way. Chemistry and physics are specializations of physical science. Chemistry tends to focus on the properties of substances and the interactions between different types of matter, particularly reactions that involve electrons. Physics tends to focus more on the nuclear part of the atom, as well as the subatomic realm. Really, they are two sides of the same coin.

                                                                     OR

Chemistry is a basic science whose central concerns are -

• the structure and behaviour of atoms (elements)
• the composition and properties of compounds
• the reactions between substances with their accompanying energy exchange
• the laws that unite these phenomena into a comprehensive system.

Chemistry is not an isolated discipline, for it merges into physics and biology. The origin of the term is obscure. Chemistry evolved from the medieval practice of alchemy. It's bases were laid by such men as Boyle, Lavoisier, Priestly, Berzelius, Avogadro, Dalton and Pasteur.