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Chemistry is the study of materials and how we can change them to make new, more useful materials. This is the basis of the chemical industry. Many chemist work in chemical industries that are involved in making useful products from raw materials.
The raw materials may include coal, oil natural gas, metal ores, water, air animal fat and plant oil.

It is important to consider the internal structure of materials and how their properties can be changed by altering their structure. For example natural rubber is soft and sticky. This make it unsuitable, for example for making car tyres. Adding sulphur to natural rubber in a process called vulcanization makes the rubber hard.

Chemicals make up almost everything around us. The things we see, touch, smell and even feel are made up of chemicals. it is possible to change some of these chemicals, either permanently or temporarily.

Medicines, plastics, soaps, detergents, textiles, cosmetics, paint, food additives, fertilizers, solvents and pesticides are some of the products made by the chemical industry.

Career Prospects in Chemistry

There are many possible careers involving chemistry.
Many chemist work in laboratories either, in discovering new materials or in routine testing of materials and products. For example a firm manufacturing paint not only need people to develop new and improved paints but also need other people to check samples of paint from the production line to ensure the standards are unchanged. All the chemist may be required to collect and analyse, for example soil and water samples to test for pollution.

Many Chemist are trained to dispense drugs and pharmaceutical chemical prescribed by a doctor. These Chemist are often called pharmacists.

Other chemists train as teachers and lecturers to train the next generation of Chemists.

Many other jobs use chemistry to some extent, for example a hairdresser who uses chemicals on the customers hair and nurses who have to use chemicals safely with patients.

Applications of chemistry

The study of chemistry is most useful for anybody living in the modern world. Here are some examples.

Hospital work

In hospital, nurses often collect blood and urine samples and send them to a laboratory for analysis by chemists. In the laboratory, Presence of glucose in urine or blood can show diabetes and analysis of blood samples can also show conditions such as cancer. Other chemists will be involved in formulating and dispensing drugs and medicines. Nuclear medicine uses radioactive substances to diagnose and treat diseases such as certain cancers.

Forensic science

Following a serious incident, chemist may be involved in looking for clues such as analysis of materials found at the crime scene, etc. In breathalyser test exhaled gases are chemically analysed to determine how much alcohol a person has consumed. Chemicals are also used to detect invisible traces of blood at crime scenes.

Military

Chemical warfare uses chemical agents such as gases. Explosive may be mixtures of chemical substances, such as gunpowder, or they may be chemical compounds, such as TNT. The explosion is caused by chemical reaction set off by shocks or heats. Atomic bombs use the splitting of atoms to release huge amounts of energy.

Agriculture

Chemists can test the acidity of soils to check whether they are suitable for growing particular crops. They can also suggest fertilizers that might improve growth. Pesticides are chemicals that are used to kill insects or other organisms, such as fungi, which can damage crops.

Space science

Chemists have develop materials that are suitable for use in space as well as rockets fuels that are safe and efficient.

Conclusion

Chemistry is the study of materials and how we can change them to make new and more useful materials.
There are many job opportunity for those who studied and have qualifications in Chemistry.
Chemists, like other scientists, follow a definite scientific method when investigating a problem.