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Proper understanding of a number of issues in various fields of chemistry requires knowledge of basic laws and rules, as well as the general characteristics of chemical compounds, regardless of their type and class. General chemistry deals with this whole range of knowledge. It is a kind of foundation for further understanding of chemistry.

General chemistry as an introduction to all fields of chemistry

In a way, learning chemistry is like learning a foreign language. It is a multi-stage process. It is difficult to fully understand specific issues and laws without first mastering the elementary basics. General chemistry comprises laws, rules, principles, definitions, etc. In addition, it provides information on chemical compounds, both organic and inorganic. General chemistry also touches the issues related to physical changes, but in the context of chemical phenomena. In this respect, it is similar to physical chemistry.

General chemistry provides the tools and knowledge necessary to master other fields of chemistry, including:

Organic chemistry

Elemental carbon forms a very wide range of chemical compounds having specific properties. The variety of these substances, called organic compounds, resulted in the emergence of a separate field, which is organic chemistry. In addition to studying the structure and properties of organic carbon compounds, it also deals with their synthesis (in laboratories and on an industrial scale), as well as their practical use.

Inorganic chemistry

Inorganic chemistry includes the study of all existing elements and their combinations, with the exception of carbon compounds, which are hydrocarbons and their derivatives. This broad field of chemistry characterises these substances, analyses the connections between them, and classifies them. In addition, knowledge of inorganic chemistry helps to develop methods for obtaining inorganic compounds.

Physical chemistry

It deals with physical phenomena that take place as a result of chemical reactions. Physical chemistry deals with studying and characterising, among others, phase transitions, the structure of molecules, the laws governing them, homo- and heterogeneous systems, aggregates of systems (e.g. gels, cells, organisms) and others. It describes, in a qualitative and quantitative way, the dependencies determining the organisation of atoms and molecules into macroscopic structures.

Biochemistry

Biochemistry engages in the study and explanation of the processes that occur in living organisms. Its main area of interest includes the synthesis of organic compounds, energy transformations, and the method of transmitting genetic information. In addition, it analyses the structure and influence on various processes of such compounds as proteins, amino acids, lipids or sugars.

Analytical chemistry

It is an exceptionally dynamically developing area of chemistry. Analytical chemistry is designed to answer the question of what is contained in a given material and in what quantity. Over the years, a number of techniques and methods have been created or improved that can provide the desired answers with the required precision. It is a versatile field of study due to the wide range of compounds that analytical chemists deal with.

Basic issues in general chemistry

Knowledge of general chemistry is a kind of foundation for further learning about other branches of chemistry. The mastery of elementary fundamentals is necessary to properly comprehend other issues. The main topics covered in general chemistry are:

• Atomic structure

The study of the structure of atoms, isotopes, and ions, as the basic components of matter, is largely based on learning about the species they are composed of, as well as understanding their features and properties. It is important to know the interactions and the energy between them.

• Periodic table of chemical elements

The periodic table of chemical elements organises all the chemical elements in the form of a table, according to their increasing atomic number. The arrangement follows the law of periodicity created by Dmitry Mendeleev. Chemical elements in particular groups and periods are arranged according to their cyclically repeating properties.

• Chemical compounds

The variety of naturally occurring chemical elements is huge. When they combine with each other, they form chemical compounds that are the basis of chemistry. Chemical molecules are formed and broken down due to the formation and breaking of chemical bonds.

• Electrochemistry

Electrochemistry provides information about the electrical effects produced by a chemical reaction. It also deals with the electrical properties of chemical compounds. The main aspects addressed by electrochemistry are galvanic cells, potentials at interfaces, transport of electric charges by electrolytes or kinetics of electrode processes.

• Units and measurements

Chemistry is based on chemical experiments, which consist in taking measurements and making calculations based on completed research. In order to perform these operations correctly, it is important to use the correct units. Knowledge of units of measurement and how to convert them is essential in chemistry.

• Thermochemistry

Thermochemistry is a field of chemistry directly related to thermodynamics. Thermochemistry includes the concepts of entropy, enthalpy, Gibbs free energy, standard states, and energy diagrams. It also includes the study of temperature, calorimetry, endothermic and exothermic reactions.