Chemistry is the science of the materials that make up our physical world.
No one person could expect to master all aspects of such a vast field, so it has been found convenient to divide the subject into smaller areas. Atoms of this element can form stable chains and rings, giving rise to very large numbers of natural and synthetic compounds. Biochemists concern themselves with the chemistry of the living world. Inorganic chemists are interested in all elements, but particularly in metals, and are often involved in the preparation of new catalysts. Physical chemists study the structures of materials, and rates and energies of chemical reactions.