What field of study focuses on compounds that contain carbon?

The correct answer is organic chemistry, which is the field of study dedicated to the investigation of carbon-containing compounds. Organic chemistry examines the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and synthesis of these compounds, which can range from simple molecules like methane to complex macromolecules like proteins and nucleic acids.

Carbon is unique in its ability to form stable bonds with many elements, including itself, leading to a vast array of structures and compounds. The understanding of these carbon-based compounds is fundamental to many biological processes and the development of pharmaceuticals, plastics, and other materials.

Other fields such as inorganic chemistry specifically study compounds that do not primarily contain carbon, physical chemistry focuses on the principles and theories underlying chemical systems, including thermodynamics and kinetics, and analytical chemistry is concerned with the techniques and methods used to analyze substances to determine their composition and quantities. While these fields may include studies related to carbon compounds under certain conditions, they do not possess the primary focus on carbon that organic chemistry does.