"The Scope of Chemistry"

The scope of chemistry is the study of matter—what it consists of, what its properties are, and how it changes. Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space—that is, anything that is physically real. Some things are easily identified as matter—the screen on which you are reading this book and the crude oil is transformed into more useful petroleum products such as gasoline, etc.

Chemistry is one branch of science. Science is the process by which we learn about the natural universe by observing, testing, and then generating models that explain our observations.

Areas of Chemistry

The study of modern chemistry has many branches, but can generally be broken down into five main disciplines, or areas of study as follows:

• Physical chemistry: 

• Organic chemistry: 

• Inorganic chemistry: 

• Analytical chemistry: 

• Biochemistry: 

History of Chemistry

The history of chemistry is an interesting and challenging one. Very early chemists were often motivated mainly by the achievement of a specific goal or product. Making perfume or soap did not need a lot of theory, just a good recipe and careful attention to detail. There was no standard way of naming materials (and no periodic table that we could all agree on). It is often difficult to figure out exactly what a particular person is using. However, science developed over the centuries through trial and error.

Summary

• Chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it undergoes and considers both macroscopic and microscopic information.

• Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space.

• The five main disciplines of chemistry are physical chemistry, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and biochemistry.

• Many civilizations contributed to the growth of chemistry. A lot of early chemical research focused on practical uses. Basic chemistry theories were developed during the nineteenth century. New materials and batteries are a few of the products of modern chemistry.