Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Which four broad fields are usually included in physical science?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
physical science
The Compact Muon Solenoid magnet arriving in the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, 2007.
Physical science is the systematic study of the inorganic world, distinct from the study of the organic world, which falls under biological science. It is generally categorized into four broad fields:1
- Astronomy: The study of the universe beyond Earth, including celestial bodies and phenomena.1
- Physics: The science concerned with the structure of matter and the interactions between the fundamental constituents of the observable universe.2
- Chemistry: The study of the properties and reactions of molecules, elements, and compounds.1
- Earth sciences: The study of the Earth, its physical properties, and its processes.1
Each of these areas is further divided into various specialized fields and subfields.1