The 30 Branches of Chemistry (Explained)

Humanity would have been quite another without all the great discoveries that have been made in chemistry, even before this natural science was defined and baptized with this name.

Before its "invention" human beings were familiar with certain chemical reactions and processes of this nature, among them fire, but we attribute a magical origin to them, a vision shared by the most direct antecedent of modern chemistry, alchemy.

It has already rained a lot since chemistry became a real science, being applied in endless fields and giving rise to various sub-disciplines. Today we are going to know what they are the most important branches of chemistry.

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The main branches of chemistry

The history of humanity is closely linked to how Chemistry has developed and the innumerable discoveries that have been made in this discipline. Progress in this science has always brought great technological, social and cultural advances., which have originated society as we know it today.

The development of nuclear chemistry, the use of fossil fuels, the creation of drugs are a few significant chemical findings for our society, although probably the greatest chemical discovery has been the fire.

Although humans have been trying for 800,000 years to understand how matter interacts with each other in the form of reactions, it should be noted that the Chemistry, as an official science, emerged in 1661 thanks to a book published by Robert Boyle entitled "The skeptical chemist: or doubts and paradoxes chemo-physical ”. Since then This discipline has been expanding its knowledge enormously, having applications for absolutely everything that we can imagine: plastics, vaccines, construction, medicine and pharmacy, water purification ...

As there are so many applications of science that studies the composition, structure and properties of matter, this has made it necessary to divide the Chemistry in several branches, each of them focused on a specific aspect and application of the knowledge of the subject and its interactions between substances. The following sections are the 30 most notable branches of chemistry.

1. Organic chemistry

Organic chemistry is the branch that unites chemistry with biology. This branch studies compounds with carbon atoms, which is what determines the existence of organic matter. Organic chemistry allows us to know the chemical composition of organisms and understand the nature of the chemical reactions that take place inside living beings. Carbohydrates, fatty acids, proteins and vitamins, among other carbon-based molecules, are the object of study in organic chemistry.

2. Inorganic chemistry

Inorganic chemistry could be understood as the branch of chemistry antagonistic to organic chemistry. This branch studies all substances that do not contain carbon among their main components or that are not part of life, as is the case with most minerals and metals. In other words, inorganic chemistry studies all matter without life or that does not come from something that has been alive.

3. Biochemistry

Biochemistry is closely related to organic chemistry, since both disciplines combine aspects of chemistry with those of biology. This branch of Chemistry is in charge of studying the nature of chemical reactions that take place inside living organisms. In his particular case, he focuses on knowing the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which metabolism takes place.

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4. Analytic chemistry

Analytical chemistry is the discipline that, through the use of both chemical and physical detection methods and procedures, analyzes the composition of different compounds that can be found in nature. This branch of chemistry allows us to know what are the components of any substance.

5. Pharmaceutical chemistry

Pharmaceutical chemistry is the branch that allows the development of medicinal substances thanks to in-depth knowledge of physiological actions that occur when certain molecules interact in our body. Thanks to pharmaceutical chemistry we have drugs, medicines, vaccines and other substances designed with the purpose of preventing or treating diseases.

6. Medicinal chemistry

Medicinal chemistry is closely related to pharmaceuticals. This discipline is based on the administration of certain chemicals to treat and cure diseases. It differs from pharmaceutical in the fact that it does not focus so much on prevention, but directly on treating and alleviating symptoms associated with a medical condition.

In addition, although drugs are the first option, this branch also studies the possibility of prescribing certain drugs in case they have proven therapeutic power (for example, the cannabis medicinal).

7. Food chemistry

The chemistry of food is the discipline that allows to find applications of chemistry within the food industry.

This branch is responsible for both the development of substances to prevent the deterioration of food and to create substances that can enhance flavors, therefore food chemistry is very important in the industry food.

8. Industrial Chemistry

Industrial chemistry is the discipline that studies how we can turn matter into products that can be beneficial to society.

This branch of chemistry looks for a way to convert a raw material into a new one that has some kind of utility. There are many applications that industrial chemistry has in our society and absolutely all industries in the world are based on this discipline.

9. Physical chemistry

Physicochemistry, as its name indicates, is a discipline that combines knowledge of physics and chemistry. This branch is in charge of studying the processes by which these two sciences intermingle, since there are chemical processes in which physical processes also occur. Thermodynamics and electrical processes, to give a few examples, are objects of study of this discipline.

10. Astrochemistry

Astrochemistry is the scientific discipline that is responsible for studying the reactions that occur in celestial bodies. This branch of chemistry is responsible for analyzing the chemical properties believed to have planets, comets, asteroids, stars, galaxies, the vacuum of space ...

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11. Photochemistry

Photochemistry is the chemical branch that studies the interactions between atoms that produce light phenomena, as well as the rest of electromagnetic radiation. Basically it relates chemistry to the study of light energy.

12. Geochemistry

Geochemistry is the chemical discipline that studies the composition and interactions that occur between the minerals of our planet. It can be considered as a branch within inorganic chemistry.

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13. Nanochemistry

Nanochemistry is the discipline of chemistry in charge of the development and study of very small objects, of nanoscopic dimensions. It is a very promising science, because in a future that is not expected to be too distant, it will begin to have a huge impact in fields such as technology and medicine.

14. Electrochemistry

Electrochemistry is the discipline that studies the relationship between electricity and chemistry. It is responsible for analyzing how chemical reactions can produce electrical phenomena and, also, how electrical energy can initiate chemical reactions.

15. Nuclear chemistry

Nuclear chemistry studies the reactions that take place inside the nucleus of atoms. It studies both the reactions that occur naturally, such as the fusions that occur inside the cells. stars, such as those induced artificially, such as fissions and mergers to obtain energy from the power plants nuclear.

16. Petrochemistry

Petrochemicals is the chemical branch that study what transformations are necessary to convert hydrocarbons, such as oil, coal or natural gas (fossil fuels), in fuels or products such as plastic.

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17. Theoretical chemistry

Theoretical chemistry is an umbrella term to refer to the set of disciplines that seek to predict chemical phenomena from a purely theoretical point of view, that is, without resorting to the experimental route.

These branches are helped by mathematical models and estimates and from physical laws to explain chemical processes that cannot be demonstrated experimentally with the available means currently.

18. Computational chemistry

Computational chemistry is a curious branch of chemistry. As its name suggests, it is very close to programming and, in fact, seeks to develop computer programs capable of solving chemical problems posed by the theoretical branches of chemistry.

19. Quantum chemistry

Quantum chemistry is a branch that we can include within theoretical chemistry. This is responsible for predicting the chemical interactions that are established in the quantum world, at the level of subatomic particles like electrons, neutrons, protons, quarks, gluons, hadrons ...

20. Environmental chemistry

Environmental chemistry focuses on the impact of chemical compounds in natureBoth those that impact naturally and those that have been discharged by human beings.

21. Magnetochemistry

Magnetochemistry is the chemical discipline that studies the properties of substances with magnetic forcea, in addition to looking for applications based not only on this magnetism but also taking advantage of its electrical and optical properties.

22. Neurochemistry

Neurochemistry is a branch encompassed within biochemistry. This discipline focuses on studying the chemical reactions that occur in our nervous system, especially in the central one. Thus, neurochemistry studies and analyzes the properties and effects of neurotransmitters, hormones and drugs in our brain.

23. Green chemistry

Green chemistry is the science that focuses on the development of chemical substances and using them in processes that are aimed at eliminating other substances that are harmful to ecosystems. That is, green chemistry is the chemical branch that is responsible for correcting environmental pollution.

24. Marine chemistry

Marine chemistry studies the chemical composition of any large mass of salty water, in other words, seas and oceans.

It is also responsible for analyzing the impact of humanity on the ocean world, and seeks to find ways to conservation and maintenance of the oceans and seas so that they can continue to be ideal places for the Marine life.

25. Organometallic chemistry

Organometallic chemistry is the discipline that focuses on the study of the composition and properties of all substances that have at least one carbon atom and one metallic atom.

26. Spectroscopy

Spectroscopy is the branch that studies the chemical properties that determine that an object emits one type or another of radiation. You have to understand that all matter emits, in one way or another, electromagnetic radiation, can be in the form of visible light or radiation such as X-rays, gamma rays, infrared. Spectroscopy has as object of study the analysis and measurement of this type of radiation.

27. Polymer chemistry

Polymer chemistry studies how polymers can be created from the union of their components, monomers. This discipline analyzes the way in which complex molecules are formed from simpler ones, something that can have many applications both in the industrial world as well as in the biomedical one, since proteins are a biological example of molecules formed by the union of monomers, where appropriate amino acids.

28. Macromolecular chemistry

Macromolecular chemistry studies the composition and properties of macromolecules. These molecules are the union of several molecules and, as a consequence, are large in size. Some molecules that are the object of study in macromolecular chemistry are carbohydrates, proteins, artificial polymers, fats, and plastics.

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29. Supramolecular chemistry

Supramolecular chemistry is the chemical discipline that studies the interactions that occur between molecules, especially with regard to molecular bonds. This branch of Chemistry allows us to know what are the bases for synthesizing artificial macromolecules.

30. Preparative chemistry

Preparative chemistry is the most applicable branch of Chemistry, as it deals with study of laboratory procedures necessary both to purify and to prepare substances.