Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of
matter. It is a physical science under natural sciences that covers the
elements that make up matter to the compounds made of atoms, molecules and
ions: their composition, structure, properties, behavior and the changes they
undergo during a reaction with other substances. Chemistry also addresses the
nature of chemical bonds in chemical compounds.
In the scope of its subject, chemistry occupies an intermediate position
between physics and biology. It is sometimes called the central science
because it provides a foundation for understanding both basic and applied
scientific disciplines at a fundamental level.