The five main areas of Chemistry

As with every subject chemistry has been split into 5 areas to make it more easily accessible. However, the number of areas can be disputed ranging from 3 areas to 10. In this post I will be sticking to a middle ground of 5.

1. Physical Chemistry

The study of atomic properties which is the more physics leaning area as it includes thermodynamics and quantum chemistry amongst others. Work in this area usually involves analysing materials and forming theories from those results. There is a highly analytical aspect to this area. Similarly, there is a great deal of maths which is associated with this area.

Physical chemistry is really the application of ideas from physics and how they impact chemistry. A good example of this is gas laws (PV=nRT) as well as how applied thermodynamics affects kinetics.

2. Organic chemistry

This is the study of carbon compounds, carbon is highly abundant and can be found in the molecules of every single living organism. Originally, this area was limited to only compounds formed by living organisms but was broadened later on. Organic compounds are important for both economic growth and making day to day life more easy as it accounts for cleaning products, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. It also covers the petroleum industry which is central for transport as well as

3. Inorganic chemistry

Essentially covers all compounds which do not include carbon, i.e. rocks and minerals. This area is highly important for design of technology and components of it. Inorganic chemistry can be applied to materials science, catalysis, fuels and many more. Has more of a focus on ionically bonded compounds than organic chemistry as well.

4. Analytical chemistry

The study of the makeup of compounds, focuses on separating and identifying samples. Some well known methods used in analytical chemistry is mass spectrometry, NMR and chromatography. Key areas where analytical chemists are employed are in agriculture and food, forensic labs, oil and petroleum, pharmaceuticals and university/government labs. It is an important area as it allows us to know what we are putting into our bodies as well as what is around us in the world.

5. Biochemistry

Arguably it could be counted as a subsection of organic chemistry or of just the derivative area of biology (just as physical chemistry is to chemistry with physics). It is the study of chemical processes which occur within organisms, for example respiration or photosynthesis.

---

References:

• "1.3: Areas of chemistry", LibreTexts, accessed 14/4/21, https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Book%3A_Introductory_Chemistry_(CK-12)/01%3A_Introduction_to_Chemistry/1.03%3A_Areas_of_Chemistry

• "Physical chemistry" the American chemistry society, accessed 14/4/21, https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/careers/college-to-career/areas-of-chemistry/physical-chemistry.html

• "Physical chemistry" entry in Britannica, accessed 14/4/21, https://www.britannica.com/science/physical-chemistry

• "Organic chemistry" the American chemistry society, accessed 14/4/21, https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/careers/college-to-career/areas-of-chemistry/organic-chemistry.html#:~:text=Organic%20chemistry%20is%20the%20study,bond)%2C%20nitrogen%2C%20oxygen%2C

• "Inorganic chemistry" LibreTexts, accessed 14/4/21, https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Inorganic_Chemistry

• "Analytical chemistry", the American chemistry society, accessed 14/4/21, https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/careers/college-to-career/areas-of-chemistry/analytical-chemistry.html#:~:text=Analytical%20chemistry%20is%20the%20science,how%20much%20of%20it%20exists.