Specialists in this field may focus on DNA testing or identifying materials in soils or microorganisms that can help identify the location of suspects or victims. Geochemistry: Geochemistry is the study of chemicals and reactions within rocks and minerals.
Geochemists not only study minerals and rocks on earth, but materials from the moon, other planets and spaces between those planets. Industrial chemistry: Chemists in this field usually work in the private sector and use methods that chemically improve products, like adhesives and cosmetics. Inorganic chemistry: Inorganic chemistry is the study of chemical compounds that do not contain carbon-hydrogen bonds, such as salts and metals.
Materials chemistry: Materials chemistry is the study of chemicals and reactions. A chemist in this field may work to make a material magnetic or water-resistant. Nuclear chemistry: Specialists in this branch of chemistry study nuclear processes like radioactivity and the transformations of atoms.
They understand the complexities of nuclear properties and may use their knowledge to develop alternative methods of harnessing nuclear energy. Organic chemistry: Organic chemistry is the study of materials containing hydrocarbons. Chemists in this field study plastics, detergents and medicines. Organometallic chemistry: Scientists in this field study materials containing a chemical bond between carbon and metals or metalloids.
It's the study of how organic molecules bind to nonorganic metallic molecules. Petrochemistry: This is the branch of chemistry that focuses on chemicals and reactions within petroleum and natural gases. Chemists in this field may study materials to learn how to make fuels more efficient and environmentally friendly. Pharmaceutical chemistry: Chemists within this field study chemicals and reactions in medicinal drugs to better design and produce treatments and cures for illnesses.
Physical chemistry: This branch focuses on how chemistry interacts with concepts like energy, time, statistical mechanics and chemical equilibrium.
Scientists in this field study macroscopic concepts rather than smaller reactions and details. Phytochemistry: This is the study of chemicals and reactions within plants, as well as the chemical derivatives of plants. Chemists in this field study plants to better understand how they intake and process chemicals and perform chemical reactions.
Polymer chemistry: This field of chemistry focuses on the synthesis, properties and structures of macromolecules like polymers. Scientists in this branch of chemistry help to optimize gloves, tubing, sutures, artificial joints and bandages. Quantum chemistry: Chemists in this discipline study the smaller parts of atoms, like quarks and Higgs-bosons. They may focus on quantum mechanics, chemicals and reactions within quantum functions. Radiochemistry: This is the study of radioactive materials.
Chemists within this field strive to understand the nature of chemicals and reactions within radioactive fields and how the two interact and influence one another. For example, physical chemists may study how certain materials, such as plastic, may react with chemicals the material is designed to come in contact with.
Chemists work in a variety of fields, including research and development, quality control, manufacturing, environmental protection, consulting and law. They can work at universities, for the government or in private industry, according to the ACS.
In academia, chemists performing research aim to further knowledge about a particular topic, and may not necessarily have a specific application in mind. Their results, however, can still be applied to relevant products and applications.
In industry, chemists in research and development use scientific knowledge to develop or improve a specific product or process. For example, food chemists improve the quality, safety, storage and taste of food; pharmaceutical chemists develop and analyze the quality of drugs and other medical formulations; and agricultural chemists develop fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides necessary for large-scale crop production.
Sometimes, research and development may not involve bettering the product itself, but rather the manufacturing process involved in making that product. Environmental chemists study how chemicals interact with the natural environment, characterizing the chemicals and chemical reactions present in natural processes in the soil, water and air. For example, scientists can collect soil, water or air from a place of interest and analyze it in a laboratory to determine if human activities have contaminated, or will contaminate, the environment or affect it in other ways.
Some environmental chemists can also help remediate, or remove contaminants, from the soil, according to the U. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Related: Pesticide residue linked to lower fertility in women. Scientists with a background in environmental chemistry can also work as consultants for various organizations, such as chemical companies or consulting firms, providing guidance on how practices and procedures can be completed in accordance with environmental regulations.
Chemists can use their academic background to provide advice on or advocate for scientific issues. For instance, chemists may work in intellectual property, where they might apply their scientific background to copyright issues in the sciences, or in environmental law, where they may represent special interest groups and file for approval from regulating agencies before certain activities occur.
Chemists can also perform analyses that help law enforcement. Forensic chemists capture and analyze the physical evidence left behind at a crime scene to help determine the identities of the people involved, as well as to answer other vital questions regarding how and why the crime was carried out. Forensic chemists use a wide variety of analysis methods, such as chromatography and spectrometry, which help identify and quantify chemicals.
Live Science. Jump to: Chemistry basics The physical science Five branches of chemistry Role of chemists Additional resources. Experienced chemists are also involved in preparing documentation for product licences. Jobs for chemists require a bachelor's degree and usually a Ph. Chemists need a well-rounded knowledge of mathematics and physics, as well as biology, because they often work collaboratively in cross-functional teams and there is a lot of overlap with other scientific fields such as medicine, radiology and the engineering disciplines.
Chemists must be highly technically skilled and adhere to strict procedures and health and safety requirements. They must also have the ability to interpret data, as well as excellent writing skills, for reporting scientific results and submitting their findings for peer review. All chemists work with simple forms of matter to either reach a greater understanding of the chemical itself, uncover the elements of unfamiliar substances or create entirely new chemical compounds for use in a variety of applications.
Chemists typically specialize in one of the sub disciplines of chemistry, the most prominent of those being biochemistry, neurochemistry, nuclear chemistry, and theoretical chemistry.
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