Meaning & use
astrochemistry
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountabletechnical
The scientific study of the chemical makeup of matter in space and the reactions that form it.
Grammar: No plural and no article: say 'She studies astrochemistry', not 'an astrochemistry'.
Patterns
- study astrochemistry
- research in astrochemistry
Astrochemistry helps explain how water and organic molecules form in clouds of gas between the stars.
She earned a doctorate in astrochemistry after analyzing data from a radio telescope.
The conference brought together experts in astrochemistry and planetary science.
Common combinations
- astrochemistry research
- Their astrochemistry research focuses on carbon-based molecules in comets.
- the field of astrochemistry
- The field of astrochemistry grew quickly once telescopes could detect molecules in space.
- astrochemistry and astrophysics
- Astrochemistry and astrophysics often overlap when scientists study star-forming regions.
Synonyms and how they differ
- cosmochemistry
- Cosmochemistry is broader and includes the chemistry of planets, meteorites, and the solar system, while astrochemistry often focuses on molecules in interstellar space.
Word family
- astrochemist noun
- A scientist who studies the chemistry of space.
- astrochemical adjective
- Relating to the chemistry of space.
Commonly confused: astrochemistry or astrophysics?
astrochemistry vs astrophysics
Astrophysics studies the physical forces and behavior of objects in space, while astrochemistry focuses on chemical substances and reactions.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'astrochemistry' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Astrochemistry' is an uncountable noun, so it takes no article and no plural. 'An astrochemistry' and 'astrochemistries' are wrong because the word is not countable.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “astrochemistry”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.