Branches of Science: Overview & Combination

Are you interested in pursuing a career in the Science domain? Understand meticulously distributed branches of science and its subfields in this Shiksha article to get a good understanding before making a career choice. Science Domain aspirants can also check list of options available for graduate and postgraduate degree programmes and the list of the entrance exams for the same they need to appear in.

Branches of Science & Their Subfields

Branches of Science are like Pandora's box, which is a systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through observation and experimentation, and is a vast and intricate field. To make it easier to understand, scientists have divided the Science domain into three major branches of science, namely, Formal Science, Natural Science and Social Sciences. While these are the primary divisions of branches of science, the boundaries between these areas of study often blur, and many interdisciplinary fields have emerged. For instance, biochemistry combines biology and chemistry, and astrophysics merges physics and astronomy.

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The branches of sciences ie, Natural, social and formal sciences, constitute the fundamental sciences and form the basis of the interdisciplinary sciences and applied sciences such as engineering and medicine. There are specialised scientific disciplines that formulate in multiple categories and include parts of other scientific disciplines, but often possess their own terminologies and expertise.

In this Shiksha Article, students will be able to understand the categorisation of branches of sciences and their further classification in their subfields. This will help the students to understand which courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels they plan to pursue. 

Key Branches of Science

The Physical Science consists of studying the laws of Physics, Chemistry, and Astronomy, dealing primarily with non-living matter and energy & how the two interact with each other. 

Life Science (Biology) - Deals with studying living organisms and how they grow and reproduce. There are many branches of Life Science, such as Botany, Zoology, Genetics and Medicine.

Earth Science - Dealt with studying the history, structure and processes of the Earth. Major areas of Earth Science include Geology, Meteorology, Oceanography and Paleontology. 

Formal Sciences - The study of mathematical and logical concepts, such as Logic and Statistics. 

Social Sciences - The study of how humans interact, organize into societies and interact on an individual basis; major areas include Sociology, Economics and Psychology. 

The Combination Sciences create new, multi-disciplinary areas of knowledge, which combine at least two or more major areas of study.

Examples of Combination Sciences

Biochemistry - Area of study that combines Knowledge from Biology and Chemistry to understand how living organism bodies chemically produce energy or store it for future use. 

Biophysics - Application of the concepts and principles of Physics to understand how biological systems operate.

Geochemistry - Study of how Chemical Processes interact with the Earth and the Solar System, for example in a volcanic eruption or when Earth becomes magnetized.

Astrophysics - Field that combines Physics and Astronomy to understand how celestial bodies interact with one another.

Environmental Science - This is study of the relationship between the Earth Sciences, Life Science, and Physical Chemistry.

What are the Three Core Branches of Science?

These are the three core branches of science:

• Explore physical world and its phenomena. This includes physics, chemistry, biology, earth science, astronomy and many other areas of science.

• Focus on human society and behaviour. Examples include psychology, sociology, economics, history, and political science etc.
• Deal with abstract concepts and systems. Mathematics, logic, and computer science fall under this category.

What is Natural Science? Check Categorisation Here

This section is about the various subfields in the natural sciences that the students can explore. It is one of the popular areas of science. Key areas within natural science include biology, chemistry, physics & earth science. These disciplines study energy, life, matter and the planet we inhabit.

Branches of Natural Sciences: Physical Science

It explores the inorganic world or non-living world. Unlike biological sciences, which focus on living organisms, physical science is about the study of energy, matter, and their interactions. It includes a broad spectrum of disciplines, each contributing to our understanding of the universe. Here is the list of various Physical Science subfields:

Physics

There are various parts of physics. The fundamental science is the study of energy, the nature of matter, space, and time. It includes important topics like force, motion, electricity, magnetism, gravity, the structure of atoms and light. The classical physics is about the macroscopic phenomena, including mechanics, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism, and modern physics includes the study of quantum world, exploring the behaviour of matter at the atomic and subatomic levels. It also includes the theories of relativity.

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Chemistry

It explores the composition, structure, properties, and interactions of matter. Chemists study atoms, molecules, and ions, the building blocks of matter. They examine how these particles interact to form various substances and how these substances can be transformed into new ones through chemical reactions. 

Chemistry is majorly divided into three subdomains which are given here:

Inorganic chemistry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the knowledge of compounds that do not contain carbon hydrogen bonds. It includes the properties, structures, and reactions of elements and their compounds, excluding organic substances. Inorganic compounds can be classified as acids, bases, salts, and oxides. It includes metals, minerals, and allotropes of carbon, such as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.

Organic Chemistry is the branch of chemistry concerned with the study of carbon-containing compounds. It explores the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation of organic molecules. Organic chemists investigate topics such as functional groups, reaction mechanisms, stereochemistry, and spectroscopy. Their work is crucial in developing pharmaceuticals, polymers, dyes, and other essential products.

Biological Sciences

The field is divided into numerous areas, each focusing on specific aspects of life. For example, botany studies plants, zoology focuses on animals, microbiology explores microorganisms, and genetics investigates heredity. Other areas of biological sciences include biochemistry, molecular biology, ecology, and physiology. These disciplines often overlap and interact, providing a comprehensive understanding of the living world.

Branches of Sciences: Formal Science

Formal sciences are distinct from natural and social sciences in that they deal with abstract concepts and systems rather than the physical or social world. These disciplines are characterised by their use of logic and mathematical structures to analyse and reason about these abstract entities. Dissimilar to other areas, the formal sciences don't deal with the validity of theories based on observations in the real world (empirical knowledge), but rather with the properties of formal systems based on definitions and rules. Hence, there is a difference of opinion on whether the formal sciences constitute a science or not. Methods of the formal sciences are, however, essential to the construction and testing of scientific models dealing with observable reality, and major advances in formal sciences have often enabled major advances in the empirical sciences. 

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Branches of Science: Social Science 

Here are some of the primary branches of social sciences:

Anthropology

Anthropology is the study of human societies, cultures, and their development over time. Anthropologists examine various aspects of human life, including language, religion, kinship, and technology. They employ fieldwork, participant observation, and comparative analysis to gain insights into diverse cultures and societies.

• Focuses on the study of human cultures, including their beliefs, values, customs, and practices.
• Examines the biological and evolutionary aspects of human beings, including genetics, paleoanthropology, and human variation.
• Investigates the relationship between language and culture, studying the structure, history, and social functions of languages.

Geography

Geography is the study of the Earth's surface, its physical features, and the distribution of human activities. Geographers examine the spatial patterns of human settlements, economic activities, and environmental processes. They employ maps, remote sensing, and geographic information systems (GIS) to analyze spatial data.

Political Science

Political science is the study of political systems, governments, and political behaviour. Political scientists examine the theory and practice of politics, including political institutions, elections, public policy, and international relations. They employ empirical research, case studies, and theoretical analysis to understand political phenomena.

History

History is the study of past events and their significance. Historians examine primary and secondary sources to reconstruct the past and analyze the causes and consequences of historical events. They employ critical thinking, research methods, and historical theories to interpret and understand the past.

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