Chemistry

∞ generated and posted on 2023.05.26 ∞

Study of the interaction between atoms and the consequences of those interactions.

Chemistry sits on top of physics and underneath biology, at least as far as we biologists are concerned.

Chemistry is traditionally divided, particularly at introductory levels, into two somewhat distinct disciplines, which are known as organic chemistry and inorganic chemistry.

Organic chemistry involves the study of carbon-containing compounds (particularly organic compounds) while inorganic chemistry is the study of interactions among elements that are mostly other than with carbon.

Study of the chemistry of life is called biochemistry. See also physical chemistry, analytical chemistry, polymer chemistry, environmental chemistry, and chemical engineering, etc.

Chemistry, as a science, and along with physics, provides an impressive level of synthesis, that is, of ideas rather than simply chemicals. There is a level of integration of concepts that is just not possible in biology due to the latter's inherent complexity.

The ultimate synthesis of ideas, in chemistry, is the familiar periodic table of elements. Not only is much information provided, but chemical elements are differentiated positionally based upon fundamental properties, particularly how many protons are present. One can simply glance at which column an element is found in to deduce a fairly impressive bevy of likely chemical properties such as which other elements a particular element is likely to react with, and how.

Various terms associated with the science of chemistry include:

Acid, Adhesion, Activation energy, Affinity, Anion, Aqueous solution, Atomic number, Base, Carbon, Carbon dioxide, Catalyst, Cation, Charge, Chemical bond, Chemical, Chemical energy, Chemical equilibrium, Chemical reaction, Chemistry, Cohesion, Colloid, Compound, Concentration, Condensation reaction, Conformation, Covalent bond, Decomposition reaction, Detergent, Dissociation, Double bond, Down a concentration gradient, Electrochemical gradient, Electronegativity, Electrons store energy, Endergonic reaction, Energy in bonds, Exchange reaction, Exergonic reaction, Forward reaction, Hydration, Hydration shell, Hydrogen, Hydrogen bond, Hydrogen ion, Hydrophilic, Hydrophobic, Hydrophobic exclusion, Hydronium ion, Inorganic compound, Insoluble, Ion, Ionic bond, Ionization, Isomer, Moiety, Molecular oxygen, Molecule, Monomer, Nonpolar covalent bond, Nonpolar substance, • Organic chemistry •, Osmosis, Oxidation, Oxidizing agent, Oxygen, Periodic table of elements, pH, pH buffer, Polar covalent bond, Polar solvent, Polar substance, Polymer, Rate constant, Rate-limiting step, Redox, Reducing agent, Salt, Single bond, Reactant, Reverse reaction, Reversible reaction, Salt, Solute, Solvent, Steady state, Stoichiometry, Subunit, Sulfur, Synthesis (chemical), Synthesis reaction, Transition state, Triple bond, Up a concentration gradient, Valence electrons, Water, Weak bonds