In medical science, the branch that deals with the detailed study, composition, and disorders of blood is known by which name?

Introduction / Context:
Medical science is divided into many specialties, each focusing on particular organs, systems, or types of diseases. Blood is a vital fluid that transports oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and waste products throughout the body. There is a specific medical specialty devoted to the study of blood, its components, and related disorders. Knowing the correct term for this specialty is a common general science and biology question.

Given Data / Assumptions:
The question asks for the name of the study of blood.
Options include hematology, oncology, cardiology, and nephrology.
We assume standard medical terminology used worldwide.
The focus is on the branch that examines normal and abnormal blood conditions.

Concept / Approach:
Hematology is the branch of medical science that deals with blood, blood forming organs, and blood disorders. It covers red and white blood cells, platelets, plasma, clotting factors, and diseases such as anemia, leukemia, and clotting disorders. Oncology is the study of cancer. Cardiology focuses on the heart and blood vessels. Nephrology deals with the kidneys and their diseases. Therefore, the correct term for the study of blood is hematology.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognize that the question is asking about a medical specialty related specifically to blood. Step 2: Recall that hematology covers the composition, function, and diseases of blood and blood forming organs. Step 3: Compare this with oncology, cardiology, and nephrology, which relate to cancer, heart, and kidneys respectively. Step 4: Select hematology as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Hospitals often have departments or clinics labeled hematology for patients with blood disorders, where hematologists diagnose and treat conditions such as anemia, hemophilia, and leukemia. Medical textbooks group these disorders under hematology. By contrast, cardiology clinics treat heart disease, oncology clinics treat cancers, and nephrology clinics manage kidney problems. This consistent usage confirms that hematology is the proper term for the study of blood.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Oncology is the study and treatment of cancer, which can affect many tissues, not specifically blood alone.
Cardiology is concerned with the structure and function of the heart and blood vessels, not with the cellular and biochemical details of blood itself.
Nephrology is the study of kidney function and kidney diseases and does not focus on blood composition, although blood tests are used in its practice.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes mix up hematology and oncology because certain blood cancers are treated in oncology departments or combined hematology oncology units. However, the basic term for the study of blood as a tissue is hematology. Keeping a mental list of major specialties, such as cardiology for heart and nephrology for kidneys, can help place hematology correctly in this system.

Final Answer:
The study of blood is called Hematology.