Inorganic chemistry
Inorganic chemistry is commonly thought of as those areas within chemistry that do not deal with carbon. However, carbon is very important in many inorganic compounds, and there is a whole area of study known as organometallic chemistry that is truly a hybrid of the traditional disciplines of organic and inorganic chemistry. Some areas of inorganic chemistry that are especially important are catalysis, materials chemistry, and bioinorganic chemistry. Catalysts are chemical entities that increase the rate of a reaction without being consumed, and are typically based upon transition metals (usually) organometallic complexes of transition metals).This is an extremely important area to industry, and many of the chemists who would be identified as inorganic or organometallic chemists work in this area. Materials Chemistry is an area concerned with the design and synthesis of materials that allow the advance of technologies in nearly every area of society. Often, inorganic chemists working in this area are concerned with the synthesis and characterization of solid state compounds or inorganic polymers such as silicones. Bioinorganic chemists study the function of metal-containing compounds within living organisms. Students who concentrate in inorganic chemistry often go on to work in industry in polymer or materials science, do research or teach in inorganic chemistry, or pursue other related job opportunities.
Organic chemistry
Organic chemistry is a sub-field of chemistry that involves studying the molecules of life. It is mainly concerned with looking at the structure and behavior of these molecules, which are composed of only a few different types of atoms: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and a few miscellaneous others. These are the atoms used to construct the molecules that all plants and animals require for their survival. Traditional organic chemists are concerned with synthesizing new molecules and with developing new reactions that might make these syntheses more efficient. The kinds of molecules organic chemists synthesize include useful things like drugs, flavorings, preservatives, fragrances, plastics (polymers), and agricultural chemicals (fertilizers and pesticides), and sometimes include unusual molecules found in nature or ones that might simply provide a challenge to make. Also, understanding something about organic chemistry is essential for learning about biochemistry and molecular biology because bio-molecules such as proteins, sugars, fats, and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) are all organic molecules, albeit very large ones. Students who concentrate in organic chemistry typically go on to work in pharmaceutical, food or polymer companies, do research or teach in organic chemistry, pursue medical careers, or may pursue other related job opportunities.
