1. 1.1 What is chemistry？
1.2 What are branches of chemistry？
1.3 What is inorganic chemistry?
1.4 How is the course organized and graded？
1.5 How to learn chemistry effectively？
outline
Chpater 1 Introduction
4. From acs.org ( https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/careers/college-to-career/areas-of-chemistry.html )
Inorganic chemistry is concerned with the properties and behavior of inorganic compounds, which include
metals, minerals, and organometallic compounds. While organic chemistry is defined as the study of carbon-
containing compounds and inorganic chemistry is the study of the remaining subset of compounds other
than organic compounds, there is overlap between the two fields (such as organometallic compounds, which
usually contain a metal or metalloid bonded directly to carbon).
Organic chemistry is the study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation of
carbon-containing compounds, which include not only hydrocarbons but also compounds with any number
of other elements, including hydrogen (most compounds contain at least one carbon–hydrogen bond),
nitrogen, oxygen, halogens, phosphorus, silicon, and sulfur. This branch of chemistry was originally limited to
compounds produced by living organisms but has been broadened to include human-made substances such
as plastics. The range of application of organic compounds is enormous and also includes, but is not limited
to, pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, food, explosives, paints, and cosmetics.
Analytical chemistry is the science of obtaining, processing, and communicating information about the
composition and structure of matter. In other words, it is the art and science of determining what matter is
and how much of it exists.
Physical chemistry is the study of how matter behaves on a molecular and atomic level and how chemical
reactions occur. Based on their analyses, physical chemists may develop new theories, such as how complex
structures are formed. Physical chemists often work closely with materials scientists to research and develop
potential uses for new materials.
Biological chemistry/Biochemistry is the study of the structure, composition, and chemical reactions of
substances in living systems. Biochemistry emerged as a separate discipline when scientists combined
biology with organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry and began to study how living things obtain energy
from food, the chemical basis of heredity, what fundamental changes occur in disease, and related issues.
Biochemistry includes the sciences of molecular biology, immunochemistry, and neurochemistry, as well as
bioinorganic, bioorganic, and biophysical chemistry.
Supplementary Reading
