The branches of science, also referred to as sciences, scientific fields or scientific disciplines, are commonly divided into three major groups:Formal sciences: the study of formal systems, such as those under the branches of logic and mathematics, which use an a priori, as opposed to empirical, methodology. They study abstract structures described by formal systems. Natural sciences: the study of natural phenomena. Natural science can be divided into two main branches: physical science and life science. Social sciences: the study of human behavior in its social and cultural aspects.