Major Branches and Disciplines of Science

Multiple-Choice Questions

1 The branch of science that studies matter, energy, motion and forces is:

(a) Biology
(b) Physics
(c) Sociology
(d) None of these

2 The scientific study of living organisms is known as:

(a) Chemistry
(b) Geology
(c) Biology
(d) None of these

3 Chemistry primarily deals with:

(a) Composition, structure, properties and transformations of matter
(b) Classification of political systems
(c) Movement of celestial bodies only
(d) None of these

4 The study of the Earth, its materials, structure and processes is called:

(a) Astronomy
(b) Genetics
(c) Ecology
(d) None of these

5 Astronomy is the scientific study of:

(a) Microscopic organisms
(b) Celestial objects and the universe
(c) Chemical reactions in cells
(d) None of these

6 The branch of biology concerned with heredity and variation is:

(a) Ecology
(b) Anatomy
(c) Genetics
(d) None of these

7 The study of the relationships between organisms and their environment is:

(a) Ecology
(b) Cytology
(c) Mineralogy
(d) None of these

8 The scientific study of the structure of the human body is:

(a) Physiology
(b) Pathology
(c) Pharmacology
(d) None of these

9 Physiology is primarily concerned with:

(a) Classification of rocks
(b) Functions of living organisms and their parts
(c) Chemical composition of stars
(d) None of these

10 The branch of science that studies microorganisms is:

(a) Botany
(b) Zoology
(c) Microbiology
(d) None of these

11 Botany is the study of:

(a) Plants
(b) Animals
(c) Minerals
(d) None of these

12 Zoology deals with the scientific study of:

(a) Fungi
(b) Plants
(c) Rocks
(d) None of these

13 The study of fossils and ancient life is known as:

(a) Meteorology
(b) Paleontology
(c) Oceanography
(d) None of these

14 Meteorology is concerned with:

(a) Ocean-floor minerals
(b) Human genetics
(c) Weather and atmospheric processes
(d) None of these

15 The scientific study of oceans is called:

(a) Oceanography
(b) Seismology
(c) Entomology
(d) None of these

16 The study of earthquakes and seismic waves is:

(a) Volcanology
(b) Hydrology
(c) Climatology
(d) None of these

17 The branch of biology concerned with cells is:

(a) Embryology
(b) Cytology
(c) Taxonomy
(d) None of these

18 The classification and naming of organisms is the concern of:

(a) Physiology
(b) Histology
(c) Taxonomy
(d) None of these

19 The study of tissues is known as:

(a) Histology
(b) Entomology
(c) Mycology
(d) None of these

20 The scientific study of insects is:

(a) Ichthyology
(b) Ornithology
(c) Herpetology
(d) None of these

21 The branch of science concerned with fungi is:

(a) Bacteriology
(b) Mycology
(c) Virology
(d) None of these

22 The study of viruses is called:

(a) Parasitology
(b) Immunology
(c) Virology
(d) None of these

23 The branch of science that studies the immune system is:

(a) Immunology
(b) Endocrinology
(c) Neurology
(d) None of these

24 The study of hormones and endocrine glands is:

(a) Cardiology
(b) Nephrology
(c) Dermatology
(d) None of these

25 The branch of medicine concerned with the heart is:

(a) Neurology
(b) Cardiology
(c) Oncology
(d) None of these

26 The study of drugs and their effects on living systems is:

(a) Toxicology
(b) Pathology
(c) Pharmacology
(d) None of these

27 The study of diseases, including their causes and effects, is:

(a) Pathology
(b) Anatomy
(c) Botany
(d) None of these

28 The branch of science that applies physics and engineering principles to biological systems is:

(a) Biochemistry
(b) Molecular biology
(c) Paleontology
(d) None of these

29 Biochemistry investigates:

(a) The political organization of societies
(b) Chemical substances and processes in living organisms
(c) The motion of planets
(d) None of these

30 The study of the molecular basis of biological activity is:

(a) Ecology
(b) Taxonomy
(c) Molecular biology
(d) None of these

31 The branch that applies statistical methods to biological data is:

(a) Biostatistics
(b) Geophysics
(c) Astrophysics
(d) None of these

32 The study of the distribution and determinants of health-related conditions in populations is:

(a) Pharmacology
(b) Epidemiology
(c) Histology
(d) None of these

33 The branch of science that studies the physical properties and behaviour of the Earth is:

(a) Geochemistry
(b) Mineralogy
(c) Geophysics
(d) None of these

34 The study of the chemical composition of Earth materials and processes is:

(a) Geochemistry
(b) Seismology
(c) Cartography
(d) None of these

35 The study of minerals is known as:

(a) Petrology
(b) Mineralogy
(c) Paleontology
(d) None of these

36 The scientific study of rocks, including their origin and composition, is:

(a) Hydrology
(b) Meteorology
(c) Petrology
(d) None of these

37 The branch of physics concerned with the behaviour of matter and energy at atomic and subatomic scales is:

(a) Classical mechanics
(b) Thermodynamics
(c) Acoustics
(d) None of these

38 The study of the physical properties of materials and their applications is:

(a) Materials science
(b) Political science
(c) Linguistics
(d) None of these

39 The branch of chemistry that studies carbon-containing compounds is primarily:

(a) Analytical chemistry
(b) Organic chemistry
(c) Inorganic chemistry
(d) None of these

40 Analytical chemistry is mainly concerned with:

(a) The evolution of species
(b) The structure of galaxies
(c) Identifying and measuring chemical substances
(d) None of these

41 The study of chemical processes involving energy changes is closely associated with:

(a) Physical chemistry
(b) Taxonomy
(c) Astronomy
(d) None of these

42 The branch of science that studies the atmosphere and long-term climate patterns is:

(a) Oceanography
(b) Climatology
(c) Mineralogy
(d) None of these

43 The study of water movement, distribution and properties on Earth is:

(a) Seismology
(b) Volcanology
(c) Hydrology
(d) None of these

44 The application of biological systems and organisms to develop useful products and processes is:

(a) Biotechnology
(b) Astrophysics
(c) Geology
(d) None of these

45 The scientific study of the nervous system is:

(a) Endocrinology
(b) Neuroscience
(c) Immunology
(d) None of these

46 The branch of science that investigates the origin, evolution and structure of the universe using physical principles is:

(a) Meteorology
(b) Oceanography
(c) Astrophysics
(d) None of these

47 The study of the interactions between organisms and their environment at the level of populations and ecosystems belongs mainly to:

(a) Ecology
(b) Anatomy
(c) Crystallography
(d) None of these

48 Which of the following disciplines combines biology, chemistry, physics and engineering to develop medical technologies and devices?

(a) Paleontology
(b) Mineralogy
(c) Classical philology
(d) None of these

49 Which of the following is an interdisciplinary field combining computer science, statistics and biological research?

(a) Cartography
(b) Bioinformatics
(c) Petrology
(d) None of these

50 Which statement best describes the modern organization of scientific disciplines?

(a) Every scientific discipline operates independently
(b) Scientific fields have no shared methods
(c) Many scientific disciplines overlap and collaborate to address complex questions
(d) None of these

Answer Key

1 (b) Physics
2 (c) Biology
3 (a) Composition, structure, properties and transformations of matter
4 (d) None of these
5 (b) Celestial objects and the universe
6 (c) Genetics
7 (a) Ecology
8 (d) None of these
9 (b) Functions of living organisms and their parts
10 (c) Microbiology
11 (a) Plants
12 (d) None of these
13 (b) Paleontology
14 (c) Weather and atmospheric processes
15 (a) Oceanography
16 (d) None of these
17 (b) Cytology
18 (c) Taxonomy
19 (a) Histology
20 (d) None of these
21 (b) Mycology
22 (c) Virology
23 (a) Immunology
24 (d) None of these
25 (b) Cardiology
26 (c) Pharmacology
27 (a) Pathology
28 (d) None of these
29 (b) Chemical substances and processes in living organisms
30 (c) Molecular biology
31 (a) Biostatistics
32 (b) Epidemiology
33 (c) Geophysics
34 (a) Geochemistry
35 (b) Mineralogy
36 (c) Petrology
37 (d) None of these
38 (a) Materials science
39 (b) Organic chemistry
40 (c) Identifying and measuring chemical substances
41 (a) Physical chemistry
42 (b) Climatology
43 (c) Hydrology
44 (a) Biotechnology
45 (b) Neuroscience
46 (c) Astrophysics
47 (a) Ecology
48 (d) None of these
49 (b) Bioinformatics
50 (c) Many scientific disciplines overlap and collaborate to address complex questions