The word chemistry comes from the word alchemy, an earlier set of practices that encompassed elements of chemistry, metallurgy, philosophy, astrology, astronomy, mysticism and medicine; it is commonly thought of as the quest to turn lead or another common starting material into gold. Many believe that al-kīmīā is derived from χημία, which is in turn derived from the word Chemi or Kimi, which is the ancient name of Egypt in Egyptian. Chemistry, a branch of physical science, is the study of the composition, properties and behavior of matter. As it is a fundamental component of matter, the atom is the basic unit of chemistry. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, with particular focus on the properties of the chemical bonds formed between species. Chemistry is also concerned with the interactions between atoms or molecules and various forms of energy (e.g. photochemical reactions, oxidation-reduction reactions, changes in phases of matter, separation of mixtures, properties of polymers, etc.). Chemistry is sometimes called "the central science" because it bridges other natural sciences like physics,geology and biology with each other. Chemistry is a branch of physical science but distinct from physics. |
