# Physics and Chemistry: Are they one and the same? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 22, 2005, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physics-and-chemistry-are-they-one-and-the-same/327386 "2005-10-22T03:23:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physics-and-chemistry-are-they-one-and-the-same/327386/21 "2005-10-24T11:07:03Z")
> [@riker1384](#): > > Didn’t Feynman discuss this a bit in the intro of Volume 1 of his Lectures on Physics? Might be worth a look next time you’re at the library. A quick review of my copy does not reveal a passage describing a relationship between physics and chemistry ---
**Author:** ![Fridgemagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@Fridgemagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fridgemagnet)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physics-and-chemistry-are-they-one-and-the-same/327386/22 "2005-10-24T11:49:29Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > There is a discipline called biophysics which bridges the divide between biology and physics. Individual cells can, at the level of protein molecules, ionophores, and whatnot, respond to the movement of single electrons, or the presence of minute electric or magnetic fields, or the passage of a single photon. This is where physics pushes up against biology and makes itself noticed. > > And yeah, it was my major in college. Cool! **Nametag** , What’s your view on the effects of EM radiation from mobile phones, mains wiring etc? Also being exposed to different types of ionised air. These things have interested me for years, but the research is difficult, obscure, and hugely political and controversial. > [@Petey](#): > > And what category did he (Rutherford) win his Nobel Prize in… > > Chemistry Ah, the delicious irony! ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physics-and-chemistry-are-they-one-and-the-same/327386/23 "2005-10-24T16:39:49Z")
> [@Gary T](#): > > If you want to understand math, you need only study math. > > If you want to understand physics, you need to know some math, and study physics. > > If you want want to understand chemistry, you need to know some physics (and the math underlying it), and study chemistry. > > If you want to understand biology, you need to know some chemistry (and some physics and some math), and study biology. > > So to the OP, when you’re talking about chemistry, there is necessarily some physics involved. But the inverse is not true – there’s a lot in the realm of physics that has nothing at all to do with chemistry. I’m not sure if those are all strictly true. I know many biologists who can’t do math to save their collective life. What needs to be passed along tends to fade out by the next level. To do chemistry requires knowledge of quantum physics, at least superficially. The thing is, they can get by with calculations. Physicists need the math results that make quantum systems work, but chemists only need the physical results that make chemistry work. Similarly, while cellular biology may be a lot of chemistry, there’s no need at that scale to consider quantum effects (as far as I’ve ever heard), so they can get by with the chemistry rules derived from the quantum rules, but don’t need the quantum rules themselves. ---
**Author:** ![bauble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@bauble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bauble)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physics-and-chemistry-are-they-one-and-the-same/327386/24 "2005-10-25T14:58:54Z")
> [@scotandrsn](#): > > A quick review of my copy does not reveal a passage describing a relationship between physics and chemistry I think I remember it from listening to Six Easy Pieces (from [audible.com](http://audible.com)). I don’t remember the exact quote, though, as it’s been a few months. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physics-and-chemistry-are-they-one-and-the-same/327386.md?page=1)