What's the difference between physical organic chemistry and organic chemistry?

Question

What's the difference? Or are they exactly the same with just different names? Please no dumb answers. Thankyou.

Answer 1

Organic chemistry is a more general term, and physical organic chemistry is a discipline within organic chemistry. Organic chemistry has to do with the general chemistry of C-C and C-H bond containing molecules, their syntheses, properties, etc. Physical organic chemisty generally studies the underlying physical reasons for organic phenomena--why do reactions proceed trough one mechanism or another, why are some bonds stronger than others, etc. If someone tells you they're an organic chemist they probably do synthesis. If they tell you they're a physical organic chemist they're probably studying phenomena at a far greater detail.