Branches of Chemistry (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what the branches of chemistry are and the characteristics of each one. In addition, other subdisciplines of chemistry.

What are the branches of chemistry?

chemistry is the science dedicated to the study of matter its compositional elements (atoms, molecules) and the reactions between them. This implies an immense field of knowledge, with infinite applications and links with other scientific disciplines such as physics, biology, geography and medicine, among many others.

Chemistry is conventionally subdivided into six main branches or subdisciplines of chemistry:

Inorganic chemistry. It is dedicated to the study of matter from the point of view of its electrical, magnetic and optical properties, taking into account all the atoms of the periodic table, but particularly those that form compounds such as acids, bases, salts and ions and also metals.
Organic chemistry It is dedicated to the study of organic matter, that is, that which has carbon and hydrogen as fundamental elements, and which form long chains with unique properties. These compounds are also particularly important for the chemistry of living beings.
Biochemistry. It is dedicated to the study of the substances that make up living beings, as well as the reactions that take place within them. It has borders in common with medicine, genetics and neurology, among other fields of biological knowledge. Therefore, it is considered a point of contact between chemistry and biology: the chemistry of life.
Physical chemistry or physicochemistry It is dedicated to the study of the physical bases of physical processes and foundations, that is, it studies matter from a point of view that is both physical and chemical, as its name indicates. Among its main areas of study are chemical thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, electrochemistry, spectroscopy and other specialties that are the result of the intersection between physics and chemistry.
Industrial chemistry It is dedicated to the study of industrial production methods for chemicals, that is, to produce chemicals in large quantities, and thus understand how these production methods can be made more efficient, less polluting and more economically profitable. This branch is particularly useful for research and development of new materials.
Analytical chemistry. It is dedicated to the study of methods for detecting chemical substances from different types of samples. This detection can consist of the identification (knowing what substance it is, and therefore, naming it) or the quantification (knowing in what proportions the substance is found in the sample) of a specific element or chemical compound.

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Other subdisciplines of chemistry

In addition to the six main branches of chemistry, there are a good number of subdisciplines that emerged from the contact of chemistry with other fields of knowledge, such as:

Astrochemistry It arises from the combination of knowledge between chemistry and astronomy, and is dedicated to the study of the composition of stellar matter, that is, celestial bodies and large clouds of space matter.
Nanochemistry Born from the incorporation of nanotechnology into the field of chemistry, it explores how to build molecular machines capable of altering matter in revolutionary ways.
Geochemistry It is the result of the union of the field of chemistry and geology, it consists of the study of the composition of the crust of our planet and its deep minerals.
Petrochemistry It consists of the application of chemistry to petroleum sciences, to study this material in depth and take advantage of its possibilities as an energy source or source of other substances.
Nuclear chemistry It consists of the study of the atomic nuclei of the different elements known to humans, for energy and other purposes.
Environmental chemistry It is a branch of chemistry that focuses its interest on the composition of the Earth and the chemical changes that take place on it, especially in the face of human activities.
Toxicological chemistry Hand in hand with pharmacology, this branch of chemistry studies the toxicity of the different known chemical compounds and seeks to find ways to alleviate their effects and prevent poisoning.
Computational chemistry Use computer software to make simulations of chemical processes. It is used to complement the results of experiments carried out in laboratories. It is also used to predict properties and results of compounds and chemical phenomena, and can reduce the costs of experiments.
Theoretical chemistry. It is used to predict chemical reactions using physical and mathematical equations.