The major branches of physics are as follows:

• Astrophysics
  Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties (luminosity, density, temperature and chemical composition) of astronomical objects such as stars, galaxies, and the interstellar medium, as well as their interactions.
• Atomic and molecular physics
  The study of the structure and characteristics of atoms and molecules.
• Biophysics
  The science of the application of the laws of physics to life processes.
• Condensed-matter (solid-state) physics
  The study of the physical properties of solids, such as electrical, dielectric, elastic, and thermal properties, and their understanding in terms of fundamental physical laws.
• Cosmology
  The study of the universe as a whole, of the contents, structure, and evolution of the universe from the beginning of time to the future.
• Geophysics
  the study of the physical characteristics and properties of the earth; including geodesy, seismology, meteorology, oceanography, atmospheric electricity, terrestrial magnetism, and tidal phenomena.
• Mechanics
  the branch of physics concerned with the motion of bodies in a frame of reference.
• Statistical Mechanics
  The discipline that attempts to relate the properties of macroscopic systems to their atomic and molecular constituents.
• Theoretical physics
  Theoretical physics attempts to understand the world by making a model of reality, used for rationalizing, explaining, and predicting physical phenomena through a “physical theory”.
• Thermodynamics
  The study of the effects of changes in temperature, pressure, and volume on physical systems at the macroscopic scale by analyzing the collective motion of their particles using statistics.

Science can be divided into the physical sciences, the earth sciences, and the life sciences. These are called pure sciences, which contrast to the applied, or engineering, sciences, i.e., technology, which is concerned with the practical application of the results of scientific activity.

Mathematics, is not a science, but is closely linked to the sciences because of their extensive use of it. There are also disciplines for the study of the history and philosophy of science, and areas concerning the society and the interactions of people, social science.
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Devil Rays evolved from bottom feeders a long time ago, but later adapted to become filter feeders in the open ocean.

This has allowed them to grow in size larger than any other species of rays.

Devil Rays have recently been seen breaching ( leaping out of the water ). The reason for this is unknown but is thought that it is to remove loose dead skin and parasites when impacting back into the water.
They have a boneless skeleton made from a tough elastic substance.

HABITAT

• The Devil Ray lives throughout the tropical seas all over the world, typically around coral reefs.
• They are usually found in small groups of 2, or in famillies.
• They like to be near the surface where it is warm.

FOOD

• The Devil Ray generally eats plankton, fish, larvae and small organisms that are filtered out from the water by their gill rakers, this is a type of filter feeding that is called ram – jetfeeding.

LIFE – CYCLE

• The Devil Ray mates yearly, in the spring or summer.
• The female ray is fertilized by the male while swimming.
• The rays develop within eggs that remain within the mothers body up until they hatch,or are about to hatch. This is called ovoviviparity.
• They stay within the mother fo 9 – 12 months.
• The baby rays are called pups and emerge from the egg with their fins wrapped around their body and their spine covered in a sheath which comes off after birth.
• Litter sizes range from 2 – 10 but they usually only have 1 or 2.
• Devil Rays live up to 23 years.

THE DEVIL RAY IS ENDANGERED

• Devil rays are highly vulnerable to fisheries because of their large size and slow speed in the water.
• Pollution.
• Usually only give birth to 1 – 2 pups.
• Coastal environments being developed which are critical habitats for breeding.

Chemistry has been divided into a number of different branches. They are generally recognised as Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Geochemistry and Nuclear Chemistry.

While they may be positioned a being quite separate there is significant overlap between them and between the other different branches of chemistry.

The following is a basic description of the different branches of chemistry:

Analytical Chemistry
The collection of techniques and methods used to gain an understanding of the chemical composition and structure of materials. Qualitative and quantitative methods are two of the more basic methods used in this discipline. The methods can be used in all the other branches of chemistry.

Biochemistry
The chemistry of life-processes and living organisms.Biochemistry and organic chemistry are closely related.Biochemists focus on the structures of biological molecules and their physical properties.Common biological molecules include carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids.

Inorganic Chemistry
The study of reactions and properties of compunds which do not contain hydrocarbons – carbon and hydrogen and which are not organic.

Organic Chemistry
The study of compounds consisting primarily of hydrocarbons which provide the primary material of all organic compounds. Hundreds of thousands of carbon-based molecules exist becuase carbon atoms are able to form long branched chains and rings. Because they make up the majority of compounds in living organisms organic compounds are of special importance. They form coal and oil. Some of the most studied organic compounds are those that contain nitrogen. This is because These have importance because they are linked to amino acids which are the building blocks of proteins and life.

Physical Chemistry
Physical Chemistry deals with the application of physical laws to chemical change and chemical systems.

There are several subcategories of physical chemistry, including chemical kinetics, electrochemistry and thermodynamics. The later is widely studied and deals with the role of energy in chemical reactions. Chemical kinetics is concerned with mechanisms and rates of reactions. Electrochemistry is concerned with the effects of electricity on chemical changes as well of the conversion of chemical to electrical energy and vise versa.

Nuclear Chemistry
The study of the chemical effects of high energy radiation and the behaviour of radio-active isotopes. These are atoms of the same element that vary in the number of neutrons they contain.

Geochemistry
The chemistry ( and physics) of processes taking place in the earth. Examples are the formation of petroleum, the metamophosis of rocks and mineral formation.