inorganic chemistry, the study of all the elements and their compounds with the exception of carbon and its compounds, which fall under the category of organic chemistry. Inorganic chemistry investigates the characteristics of substances that are not organic, such as nonliving matter and minerals found in the earth's crust. Branches of inorganic chemistry include applications in organic chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, coordination chemistry, geochemistry, inorganic technology, nuclear science and energy, organometallic compounds, reaction kinetics and mechanisms, solid-state chemistry, and synthetic inorganic chemistry.