HISTORY OF GYMNASTICS

Gymanstics, as an activity sport, has been around for over 2000 years but as an competitive sport it is a
little more than 100 years old. Mass and individual exhibitions were conducted by various clubs and
ethnic groups such as the Turvereins and Sok ols.
While it was slow-growing in the club area, it was fast-growing sport in the Turvereins and Sokols. In
1830s, the sport of gymnastics was introduced to United States and its school systems by such immigrants
as Charles Beck, Charles Follen and Franci s Lieber.
In 1881 the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) was formed, later was renamed to Bureau of the
European Gymnastics Federation. This organization pioneered the international competition. The
Amature Athletic Union (AAU) was formed in United Sta tes in 1883. Along with other amature spotts in
United States, this organization took over the control of the gymnastics in U.S. Various "championships"
started to develop by various clubs and organizations at about the same time during 1880s.
The first large-scale competition was the 1896 Olympics in Athens, Greece. There Germany have been
the dominant team by almost sweeping every medal. Five countries have participapted in this event.
Men's competitions included horizontal bar, parall el bars, pommel horse, rings, and vault.
The first international event following 1896 Olympics was hel in 1903 in Antwerp, Belgium. There
competed gymnasts from such places as Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. This event is
now considered the first World Championship. The f irst men's team competition was added and held in
1904 Olympics at St. Louis.
By ninth World Championship in 1930 at Luxembourg, the gymnastic competition included track and
field events such as pole vault, broad jump, shot put, rope climb, and 100-meter dash. Following that,
track and field events started to disappear from gy mnastics events, such as World Championships. They
fully disappeared from the sport of gymnastics by 1954 World Championships.
During 1924 Olympics in France marked the begining of what they are today. In gymnastics, men started
to compete for individual Olympic titles in each gymnastic event. The first women's gymnastic team
debuted during the 1928 Olympics. The first wom en's event during 1928 Olympics was the team
combined exercise, where it was dominated by Netherlands. The first U.S. women's gymnastic team
competed in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany.
In 1962, rhythmic gymnastics were recognized as a sport by the International Gymnastics Federation
(FIG). In 1963 in Budapest, Hungary, the first Rhythmic World Championship took place. It included 28
athlets from 10 countries. In 1973, the United States joined the sport of rhythmic gymnastics during the
Rhythmic World Championships. During the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, the rhythmic individual all-
around competition was held for the first time. At the Centenial Olympics this year in Atlanta, the
rhythmic group event will be a medal-sport for the first time.
In 1970, the United States Gymnastics Federartion, now formally known as USA Gymnastics, was
organized and became the govering body on this sport in the U.S. It is still exist today.

BRANCHES OF CHEMISTRY

There are several branches of chemistry. Here is a list of the main branches of chemistry, with an
overview of what each branch of chemistry studies.

Agrochemistry - This branch of chemistry may also be called agricultural chemistry. It deals
with the application of chemistry for agricultural production, food processing, and environmental
remediation as a result of agriculture.
Analytical Chemistry - Analytical chemistry is the branch of chemistry involved with studying
the properties of materials or developing tools to analyze materials.
Astrochemistry - Astrochemistry is the study of the composition and reactions of the chemical
elements and molecules found in the stars and in space and of the interactions between this
matter and radiation.
Biochemistry - Biochemistry is the branch of chemistry concerned with the chemical reactions
that occur inside living organisms.
Chemical Engineering - Chemical engineering involves the practical application of chemistry to
solve problems.
Chemistry History - Chemistry history is the branch of chemistry and history that traces the
evolution over time of chemistry as a science. To some extent, alchemy is included as a topic of
chemistry history.
Cluster Chemistry - This branch of chemistry involves the study of clusters of bound atoms,
intermediate in size between single molecules and bulk solids.
Combinatorial Chemistry - Combinatorial chemistry involves computer simulation of
molecules and reactions between molecules.
Electrochemistry - Electrochemistry is the branch of chemistry that involves the study of
chemical reactions in a solution at the interface between an ionic conductor and an electrical
conductor. Electrochemistry may be considered to be the study of electron transfer, particularly
within an electrolytic solution.
Environmental Chemistry - Environmental chemistry is the chemistry associated with soil, air,
and water and of human impact on natural systems.
Food Chemistry - Food chemistry is the branch of chemistry associated with the chemical
processes of all aspects of food. Many aspects of food chemistry rely on biochemistry, but it
incorporates other disciplines as well.
General Chemistry - General chemistry examines the structure of matter and the reaction
between matter and energy. It is the basis for the other branches of chemistry.
Geochemistry - Geochemistry is the study of chemical composition and chemical processes
associated with the Earth and other planets.
Green Chemistry - Green chemistry is concerned with processes and products that eliminate or
reduce the use or release of hazardous substances. Remediation may be considered part of green
chemistry.
Inorganic Chemistry - Inorganic chemistry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the
structure and interactions between inorganic compounds, which are any compounds that aren't
based in carbon-hydrogen bonds.
Kinetics - Kinetics examines the rate at which chemical reactions occur and the factors that
affect the rate of chemical processes.
Medicinal Chemistry - Medicinal chemistry is chemistry as it applies to pharmacology and
medicine.
Nanochemistry - Nanochemistry is concerned with the assembly and properties of nanoscale
assemblies of atoms or molecules.
Nuclear Chemistry - Nuclear chemistry is the branch of chemistry associated with nuclear
reactions and isotopes.
Organic Chemistry - This branch of chemistry deals with the chemistry of carbon and living
things.
Photochemistry - Photochemistry is the branch of chemistry concerned with interactions
between light and matter.
Physical Chemistry - Physical chemistry is the branch of chemistry that applies physics to the
study of chemistry. Quantum mechanics and thermodyamics are examples of physical chemistry
disciplines.
Polymer Chemistry - Polymer chemistry or macromolecular chemistry is the branch of
chemistry the examines the structure and properties of macromolecules and polymers and finds
new ways to synthesize these molecules.
Solid State Chemistry - Solid state chemistry is the branch of chemistry that is focused on the
structure, properties, and chemical processes that occur in the solid phase. Much of solid state
chemistry deals with the synthesis and characterization of new solid state materials.
Spectroscopy - Spectroscopy examines the interactions between matter and electromagnetic
radiation as a function of wavelength. Spectroscopy commonly is used to detect and identify
chemicals based on their spectroscopic signatures.
Thermochemistry - Thermochemistry may be considered a type of Physical Chemistry.
Thermochemistry involves the study of thermal effects of chemical reactions and the thermal
energy exchange between processes.
Theoretical Chemistry - Theoretical chemistry applies chemistry and physics calculations to
explain or make predictions about chemical phenomena.