General chemistry (sometimes called "gen chem" for

short) is a course often taught at the high school and Contents

introductory university level. It is intended to serve as a
broad introduction to a variety of concepts in chemistry • 1 Summary
and is widely taught. At the university level, it is also • 2 History
sometimes • 3 Etymology
used as a • 4 Definitions
Concepts Taught weed out
• 5 Basic concepts
o 5.1 Atom
course for o 5.2 Element
• Stoichiometry
disciplines o 5.3 Compound
• Conservation of energy
(sometimes o 5.4 Substance
• Conservation of mass
related, o 5.5 Molecule
• Law of constant o 5.6 Mole
sometimes
composition not) which o 5.7 Ions and salts
• Gas laws o 5.8 Acidity and basicity
are
• Nuclear chemistry o 5.9 Phase
perceived to
• Solubility o 5.10 Redox
require a o 5.11 Chemical bond
• Acid-base chemistry
high level of o 5.12 Chemical reaction
• Chemical bonding
intellectual o 5.13 Energy
• Chemical kinetics
rigor or o 5.14 Chemical laws
• Thermodynamics
large course • 6 Subdisciplines
• Electrochemistry •
loads. It is 7 Chemical industry
• Chemical equilibria • 8 Professional societies
also one of
the few chemistry courses in most universities that does • 9 See also
• 10 References
not explicitly explore a particular discipline such as
• 11 Further reading
organic chemistry or analytical chemistry. o 11.1 Popular reading
o 11.2 Introductory undergraduate text
__________________________________________ books
o 11.3 Advanced undergraduate-level
General chemistry courses typically introduce or graduate text books
concepts such as stoichiometry, prediction of reaction
products, thermodynamics, nuclear chemistry, electrochemistry, chemical kinetics, and many of the rudiments
of physical chemistry. Though the list of subjects covered is typically broad, leading some to criticize both the
class and the discipline as encouraging memorization, most general chemistry courses are firmly grounded in
several fundamental physical rules for which the primary challenge is understanding when the rules are
applicable.

Chemistry (from Egyptian kēme (chem), meaning "earth")[1] is the science concerned with
the composition, behavior, structure, and properties of matter, as well as the changes it
undergoes during chemical reactions.[2] It is a physical science for studies of various
atoms, molecules, crystals and other aggregates of matter whether in isolation or
combination, which incorporates the concepts of energy and entropy in relation to the
spontaneity of chemical processes. Modern chemistry evolved out of alchemy following
the chemical revolution (1773).

• Disciplines within chemistry are traditionally grouped by the type of matter being studied or the kind of
study. These include inorganic chemistry, the study of inorganic matter; organic chemistry, the study of
organic matter; biochemistry, the study of substances found in biological organisms; physical chemistry,
the energy related studies of chemical systems at macro, molecular and submolecular scales; analytical
chemistry, the analysis of material samples to gain an understanding of their chemical composition and
structure. Many more specialized disciplines have emerged in recent years, e.g. neurochemistry the
chemical study of the nervous system (see subdisciplines).