What is the study of matter and how it changes?

The study of matter and how it changes is defined as chemistry. Chemistry focuses on the composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter. It encompasses the study of substances and how they interact with each other, which includes understanding chemical reactions that lead to transformations of matter.

In chemistry, one learns about elements, compounds, and molecules, along with the processes of bonding, chemical reactions, and the laws governing these changes. This foundational knowledge is crucial for a variety of scientific disciplines, including biology and environmental science, as it helps explain how different substances behave under various conditions.

Physics, while also concerned with matter, primarily addresses the principles of energy and physical phenomena, rather than the specific interactions and transformations of substances. Biology focuses on living organisms and their life processes, which may involve chemical principles but does not specifically center on substances and their changes. Geology pertains to the Earth, its structure, and the processes that shape it, including geological changes but not specifically the study of matter itself at the level that chemistry does.