Why does chemist study the chemical reaction

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. See all comments 0. Organic chemistry, the study of compounds which contain carbon, connects up molecules in new ways to build and analyse an array of materials, from drugs to plastics to flexible electronics.

Inorganic chemistry is the study of materials based primarily on elements other than carbon. Inorganic compounds can be pigments, fertilisers , catalysts and more. Physical chemistry involves looking at chemistry through the lens of physics to study changes in pressure, temperatures and rates of conversion, for example, as substances react. Chemists help us understand the nature and properties of the world around us and the history of chemistry is replete with discoveries that have furthered this.

Antoine Lavoisier paved the way for modern chemistry. He helped give the field structure by developing an ordered language and symbolism. Published: Jun 17, Chemists investigate the properties of matter at the level of atoms and molecules.

They measure proportions and reaction rates in order to understand unfamiliar substances and how they behave, or to create new compounds for use in a variety of practical applications. To do this they use a wide range of analytical techniques and instrumentation, including chromatography and spectroscopy. Chemists typically specialise in biochemistry, neurochemistry, nuclear chemistry or theoretical chemistry. In the pharmaceutical industry chemists develop drugs and study their properties in order to determine the quality and stability of medicines.

Some chemists even work in forensic science to establish evidence in criminal investigations.