photo.jpg

# Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry ## Introduction Chemistry is the study of matter, its physical and chemical properties, and the physical and chemical changes it undergoes under different conditions. ## Matter Matter can be further classified into pure substances and mixtures on the basis of c...

# Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry ## Introduction Chemistry is the study of matter, its physical and chemical properties, and the physical and chemical changes it undergoes under different conditions. ## Matter Matter can be further classified into pure substances and mixtures on the basis of chemical composition. ### Pure substances versus mixtures * **Pure substances** have a definite chemical composition. They always have the same properties regardless of their origin. * **Mixtures** have no definite chemical composition and hence no definite properties. **Examples of pure substances:** Pure metal, distilled water, etc. **Examples of mixtures:** Paint (mixture of oils, pigment, additive), concrete (a mixture of sand, cement, water) ## Nature of Chemistry Chemistry is traditionally classified into five branches: organic, inorganic, physical, biological, and analytical. * **Organic chemistry** is the study of the properties and reactions of carbon compounds * **Inorganic chemistry** is the study of all substances that are not organic * **Physical chemistry** is the study of principles underlying chemistry. It deals with the studies of properties of matter. * **Biological chemistry** studies the chemistry of living organisms * **Analytical chemistry** is the study of the identification and quantification of chemical substances ### Pure substances Pure substances are further divided into elements and compounds. * **Elements** are pure substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by ordinary chemical changes. Elements are further classified as metals, nonmetals, and metalloids. Chemistry is a central science. Its knowledge is required in the studies of physics, biological sciences, applied sciences, and earth and space sciences. The scope of chemistry is in every aspect of life, for example, the air we breathe, the food we eat, the fluids we drink, our clothing, transportation, and fuel supplies, and so on. Though it is an ancient science, due to development and advancement in science and technology, chemistry has developed as a modern science. Technological development in sophisticated instruments expanded our knowledge of chemistry which, now, has been used in applied sciences such as medicine, dentistry, engineering, agriculture, and in daily home use products.