Editing Chemist (section)

==Employment==
[[File:The Royal Navy during the Second World War A24935.jpg|thumb|Analytical chemists testing samples of explosives at [[Royal Naval Cordite Factory, Holton Heath]] during World War II]]
Most chemists begin their lives in [[research laboratories]].<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=18}} Many chemists continue working at universities.<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|pages=18–19}} Other chemists may start companies, teach at high schools or colleges,<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=19}} take samples outside (as [[environmental chemists]]),<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=19}} or work in [[medical examiner]] offices or [[police departments]] (as [[forensic chemists]]).<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=18}}

Some software that chemists may find themselves using include:<ref name=":1" />

* [[ChemSW Buffer Maker]]
* [[LabTrack]] Electronic Lab Notebook
* [[Agilent ChemStation]]
* [[Waters Empower Chromatography Data Software]]
* [[Microsoft Excel]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Billo |first=E. Joseph |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5i1T0q7G9mIC |title=Excel for Chemists: A Comprehensive Guide |date=2004-03-22 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-0-471-46080-0 |language=en}}</ref>{{Rp|pages=xix–xxi}}

Increasingly, chemists may also find themselves using [[artificial intelligence]], such as for [[drug discovery]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Griffen |first1=Edward J. |last2=Dossetter |first2=Alexander G. |last3=Leach |first3=Andrew G. |date=2020-08-27 |title=Chemists: AI Is Here; Unite To Get the Benefits |url=https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00163 |journal=Journal of Medicinal Chemistry |language=en |volume=63 |issue=16 |pages=8695–8704 |doi=10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00163 |pmid=32459965 |issn=0022-2623}}</ref>

=== Subdisciplines ===
Chemistry typically is divided into several major sub-disciplines. There are also several main cross-disciplinary and more specialized fields of chemistry. There is a great deal of overlap between different branches of chemistry, as well as with other scientific fields such as biology, medicine, physics, [[radiology]], and several engineering disciplines.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}

*[[Analytical chemistry]] is the analysis of material samples to gain an understanding of their [[chemical composition]] and [[structure]]. Analytical chemistry incorporates standardized experimental methods in chemistry. These methods may be used in all subdisciplines of chemistry, excluding purely theoretical chemistry.
*[[Biochemistry]] is the study of the [[chemical compound|chemicals]], [[chemical reaction]]s and [[Cation-pi interaction|chemical interaction]]s that take place in living [[organism]]s. Biochemistry and organic chemistry are closely related, for example, in [[medicinal chemistry]].

[[File:Laura Miller at ANL.jpg|right|frame|A chemist prepares a new [[fuel cell]] for testing at [[Argonne National Laboratory]], [[Lemont, Illinois]].]]
[[File:Julie Perkins at LLNL.jpg|right|frame|A chemist pours from a [[round-bottom flask]] at [[Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory]], [[Livermore, California]].]]

*[[Inorganic chemistry]] is the study of the properties and reactions of inorganic compounds. The distinction between organic and inorganic disciplines is not absolute and there is much overlap, most importantly in the sub-discipline of [[organometallic chemistry]]. The [[Inorganic chemistry]] is also the study of atomic and molecular structure and bonding.
*[[Medicinal chemistry]] is the science involved with designing, synthesizing and developing pharmaceutical drugs. Medicinal chemistry involves the identification, synthesis and development of new chemical entities suitable for therapeutic use. It also includes the study of existing drugs, their biological properties, and their quantitative structure-activity relationships.
*[[Organic chemistry]] is the study of the structure, properties, composition, mechanisms, and chemical reaction of carbon compounds.
*[[Physical chemistry]] is the study of the physical fundamental basis of chemical systems and processes. In particular, the energetics and dynamics of such systems and processes are of interest to physical chemists. Important areas of study include chemical thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, electrochemistry, quantum chemistry, statistical mechanics, and spectroscopy. Physical chemistry has a large overlap with theoretical chemistry and molecular physics. Physical chemistry involves the use of [[calculus]] in deriving equations.
*[[Theoretical chemistry]] is the study of chemistry via theoretical reasoning (usually within [[mathematics]] or [[physics]]). In particular, the application of [[quantum mechanics]] to chemistry is called [[quantum chemistry]]. Since the end of the [[Second World War]], the development of computers has allowed a systematic development of [[computational chemistry]], which is the art of developing and applying [[computer program]]s for solving chemical problems. Theoretical chemistry has large overlap with [[condensed matter physics]] and [[molecular physics]]. See [[reductionism]].

All the above major areas of chemistry employ chemists. Other fields where chemical degrees are useful include [[astrochemistry]] (and [[cosmochemistry]]), [[atmospheric chemistry]], [[chemical engineering]], [[chemo-informatics]], [[electrochemistry]], [[environmental science]], [[forensic science]], [[geochemistry]], [[green chemistry]], [[history of chemistry]], [[materials science]], [[medical science]], [[molecular biology]], [[molecular genetics]], [[nanotechnology]], [[nuclear chemistry]], [[oenology]], [[organometallic chemistry]], [[petrochemistry]], [[pharmacology]], [[photochemistry]], [[phytochemistry]], [[polymer chemistry]], [[supramolecular chemistry]] and [[surface chemistry]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}