[Amyrro]

Hello everyone

I tried to search about chemistry disciplines , and I found that there are many disciplines of chemistry that are interrelated and overlapped, such as medical chemistry and biochemistry. However, the fields of chemistry that I could not have a grasp about their differences are:
1- General (Pure) chemistry Vs. theoretical chemistry
2- General chemistry vs. analytical chemistry vs. applied chemistry vs. industrial chemistry
3- Physical chemistry Vs. Chemical physics


Especially the difference between "analytical chemistry vs. applied chemistry vs. industrial chemistry", as applied chemistry seems to fill into both, and fulfil the purposes of both.


My question is: what is behind of each of the aforementioned disciplines, why each exists, what is their purpose, and what those who adhere to each do exactly ?? Especially industrial chemistry, as it was the displine which drove to conduct a search of this topic.


I could find some definitions of the disciplines, but learning that "analytical chemists" do analysis of compounds in industries, does not sound to help much, as it can be understood from the definition of "applied chemistry" that it is concerned with the application of chemistry in actual industrial fields. Also learning that industrial chemists research and improve chemical processes in industries sound to overlap with chemical engineering, while the definition of "applied chemistry" sound to cover this part of industrial chemistry as. Also, the description that industrial chemists study the production of chemical materials on a large scale not in labs, does not sound very convincing to justify the introduction of an entire displine, while applied or general chemists seem to fulfil this purpose in the indutry. Lastly, I do not see a very demanding need for applied and theoretical chemistry to exist, as general chemists are capable of choosing their career path, and build up the experience in a certain displine within the spectrum of their study. They can be trained to perfom as applied, theoretical, industrial or analytical chemists. At least, this is the common trend in the region here.


Unlike chemistry , where applied mathematics is mostly concerned with the connection of math and its application in other fields and disciplines. For the very specific overlaps between chemistry and other fields, deep and detailed study is needed (as I learned), and there are disciplines which cover these spots such as medical chemistry, physical chemistry, and foresnic chemistry, instead of the broad applied chemistry.

What I mentioned is all according to the search I conducted and the people whom I asked. I might be wrong. If so, please correct me, as I am not specialized in chemistry or science even.

Regards