Difference between physical, organic and inorganic chemistry

Physical chemistry, organic chemistry, and inorganic chemistry are three major subfields of chemistry, each with distinct focuses and areas of study!

Physical Chemistry

• Focus: Physical chemistry deals with the fundamental principles and theories that govern chemical systems and the physical properties and behavior of matter.
• Areas of Study:
  • Thermodynamics: The study of energy changes in chemical processes, including heat, work, and entropy.
  • Quantum Mechanics: Examining the behavior of atoms and molecules at the quantum level, including electronic structure and spectroscopy.
  • Kinetics: Investigating the rates of chemical reactions and the factors that influence reaction rates.
  • Equilibrium: Analyzing the conditions at which chemical reactions reach a state of dynamic balance.
  • Electrochemistry: Studying the relationship between chemical reactions and electricity, including redox reactions and electrochemical cells.
• Methods: Physical chemists use mathematical models, computer simulations, and laboratory experiments to explore and explain the behavior of chemical systems.
• Applications: Physical chemistry plays a crucial role in understanding chemical reactions, energy transfer, and the design of new materials and chemical processes. Nuclear reactions fall under the category of physical chemistry and nuclear chemistry.

Organic Chemistry

• Focus: Organic chemistry primarily concentrates on the study of carbon-containing compounds, including hydrocarbons and their derivatives.
• Areas of Study:
  • Structure and Bonding: Investigating the structure and bonding in organic molecules, including the study of functional groups.
  • Reaction Mechanisms: Understanding how organic reactions occur, including the movement of electrons during reactions.
  • Synthesis: Developing methods to create organic compounds, often with a focus on the preparation of specific molecules or pharmaceuticals.
  • Spectroscopy: Using various techniques to analyze the structure and properties of organic compounds, including NMR and IR spectroscopy.
• Methods: Organic chemists perform laboratory experiments, use spectroscopic techniques, and often work on the synthesis of new organic compounds.
• Applications: Organic chemistry is vital in the development of pharmaceuticals, plastics, polymers, dyes, and the study of biological molecules such as proteins and DNA.

Inorganic Chemistry

• Focus: Inorganic chemistry explores the properties, behavior, and applications of inorganic compounds, which include minerals, metals, and nonmetals.
• Areas of Study:
  • Coordination Chemistry: Studying the structures and properties of coordination compounds, which consist of a central metal atom or ion bonded to surrounding ligands.
  • Main Group Chemistry: Examining the chemistry of main group elements (s- and p-block) and their compounds.
  • Organometallic Chemistry: Investigating compounds containing metal-carbon bonds and their reactivity.
  • Bioinorganic Chemistry: Analyzing the role of metal ions in biological systems.
• Methods: Inorganic chemists use a combination of laboratory experiments, spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and computational techniques to study and characterize inorganic compounds.
• Applications: Inorganic chemistry contributes to the development of catalysts, materials science, environmental chemistry, and the understanding of metal-based drugs and enzymes.

To crack JEE exam, you need to know all concepts of chemistry!!