# Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel Institut für Physikalische Chemie

> research institute

**Wikidata**: [Q101256511](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101256511)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/christian-albrechts-universitat-zu-kiel-institut-fur-physikalische-chemie

## Summary
The Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel Institut für Physikalische Chemie is a research institute located in Kiel, Germany, dedicated to conducting systematic investigation in the field of physical chemistry. It operates as part of Kiel University (Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel) and is formally classified as a research organization whose primary purpose is generating new knowledge.

## Key Facts
- Located in Kiel, Germany
- Instance of: research institute
- Part of: Kiel University (Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel)
- Ringgold ID: 377813
- Classified as a ResearchOrganization under schema.org structured data standards
- Primary purpose: conducting research in physical chemistry
- Distinguished from teaching-focused university departments

## FAQs
### Q: What type of organization is the Institut für Physikalische Chemie?
A: The Institut für Physikalische Chemie is a research institute, which is an organization whose primary purpose is to conduct research. Unlike university departments that balance teaching and research, research institutes exist specifically to generate new knowledge through systematic investigation.

### Q: What university is the institute affiliated with?
A: The institute is part of Kiel University (Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel), operating as a research-focused component within the larger university system.

### Q: Where is the institute located?
A: The institute is headquartered in Kiel, Germany.

### Q: How is the institute identified in academic databases?
A: The institute is identified by Ringgold ID 377813, which is used for disambiguation and proper attribution in academic and research information systems.

## Why It Matters
The Institut für Physikalische Chemie represents the specialized research infrastructure within German higher education, where dedicated institutes focus on advancing scientific knowledge without the divided attention that characterizes many academic departments. As part of Kiel University, the institute contributes to Germany's robust research ecosystem, which has historically been instrumental in breakthroughs across chemistry and physics. Research institutes like this one provide environments where scientists can pursue long-term, fundamental research in physical chemistry—the study of chemical systems through the lens of physics—without the commercial pressures that might limit investigation scope or timeline. This organizational model has proven essential for advancing understanding in fields requiring sustained, focused inquiry.

## Notable For
- Dedicated exclusively to research activities in physical chemistry
- Operates within the German university research tradition
- Maintains focused research mission separate from undergraduate teaching obligations
- Integrated into Kiel University while preserving distinct research institute identity
- Tracked in academic databases with unique Ringgold identifier
- Follows formal classification standards for research organizations

## Body

### Organizational Classification and Structure
The Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel Institut für Physikalische Chemie is formally classified as a research institute, an organizational form specifically designed to conduct research as its primary purpose. Unlike universities that combine teaching and research missions, or companies that pursue research for commercial ends, research institutes exist purely to generate new knowledge through systematic investigation.

The institute is classified as an instance of "research institute" (wikidata description), placing it within a category of organizations recognized globally across 41 Wikipedia language editions. This classification distinguishes it from scientific societies, learned societies, think tanks, and research centers, each of which serves different organizational purposes.

### Affiliation and Location
The institute operates as part of Kiel University (Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel), establishing its place within Germany's public university system. Its headquarters location is Kiel, Germany, situating it in a significant academic and research hub in northern Germany. This affiliation provides the institute with access to university resources while maintaining its identity as a research-focused entity.

### Identification Systems
The institute is tracked within academic identification systems using Ringgold ID 377813. Ringgold identifiers are used globally by publishers, libraries, and academic institutions to disambiguate organizational identities and ensure proper attribution of research outputs. This unique identifier distinguishes the Institut für Physikalische Chemie from other institutes at Kiel University and from similar institutes at other institutions.

The organization is mapped to schema.org/ResearchOrganization for structured data purposes, enabling consistent representation across knowledge graphs and semantic web applications. This classification aligns with library cataloging systems that categorize research institutes under specific authority IDs, including Library of Congress authority ID sh85113043 and German National Library GND ID 4017909-6 (class-level identifiers for research institutes).

### Research Institute Characteristics
As a research institute, the organization embodies characteristics that distinguish it from related organizational forms:

**Operational Focus**: Research institutes are operational entities conducting hands-on investigation, unlike scientific societies or learned societies which are membership-based organizations serving professional communities.

**Disciplinary Scope**: Research institutes pursue fundamental inquiry across specific fields—physical chemistry in this case—rather than the policy-focused research characteristic of think tanks.

**Autonomy Within Structure**: While part of Kiel University, the institute maintains the focused research mission typical of standalone research institutes, rather than functioning as a general university department with teaching obligations.

**Knowledge Generation**: The primary output is new knowledge through systematic investigation, contributing to the broader scientific understanding of physical chemistry—how matter behaves on a molecular and atomic level, and how chemical reactions occur.

### German Research Infrastructure Context
The institute exists within Germany's extensive research infrastructure, which includes both university-based research institutes and independent research organizations. German research institutes are recognized through multiple knowledge organization systems and geographic databases, including the Geonames feature code S.ITTR for geographic identification. This infrastructure has historically positioned Germany as a leader in scientific research, with institutes like the one at Kiel University contributing to advances across chemistry and related disciplines.

## References

1. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions