Final answer:
The study of disease is referred to as pathology (b), which differs from physiology (study of function), catabolism (breaking down molecules), and metabolism (totality of chemical processes in an organism).
Step-by-step explanation:
The study of Disease is referred to as pathology. Pathology is a branch of medical science that involves the study and diagnosis of disease through the examination of organs, tissues, bodily fluids, and whole bodies (autopsy). Pathology addresses four components of disease: cause/etiology, mechanisms of development (pathogenesis), structural alterations of cells (morphologic changes), and the consequences of changes (clinical manifestations).
In contrast, physiology is the study of the functions of living organisms and their parts; catabolism is the part of the metabolism involving the breaking down of complex molecules to form simpler ones, with the release of energy; metabolism is the sum of all chemical processes that occur in an organism, consisting of anabolic and catabolic pathways.