Career:PhysicalChemist

By:BiancaM.
APhysicalchemistseeksafundamentalunderstandingofhowmaterialsbehaveandhow
chemicalreactionsoccuratthemolecularandatomiclevel.Physicalchemistsresearchsubjects
tocreatematerialswithnewpropertiesanddeveloppharmaceuticalproducts,amongothertasks.
Theirworkinvolvesanalyzingmaterials,developingnewmethodstotestandcharacterizethe
propertiesofmaterials,developingtheoriesabouttheseproperties,anddiscoveringthepotential
useofthematerials.
Chemistsworkinindustryandgovernmentlabs.Youcanalsoworkasaprofessorata
college.PhysicalchemistsalsoworkatnationallabssuchasLawrenceLivermoreNational
Laboratory,wheretheyensurethesafety,security,andreliabilityofnuclearweapons,orSandia
NationalLaboratory,wheretheydevelop,engineer,andtestthenonnuclearcomponentsof
nuclearweapons.
Whenitcomestoaphysicalchemistspositionyoucanadvanceinthelevelofthe
institutionyoucanworkin.Physicalchemistsgotograduateschooliftheywanttofurthertheir
career,becausetheyneedandadvanceddegreeinordertoreceivemostindustrial,governmental,
andacademicpositions.
IfIwasaPhysicalChemistIwouldanalyzehowmuchisinasubstanceandwhatisin
thesubstanceorboth.Iwouldalsolookforsubstancessuchaswatertoseehowmuchleadis
present.Iwouldalsotrytocreateasyntheticversionofasubstancefoundinnature,oreven
createacompletelynewsubstance.Icouldalsofindawaytocreateanewmedicationorinsulin.

InordertobecomeaPhysicalChemistyouarerequiredtohave410yearsof
college/graduatestudy.Theminimumeducationrequirementtobeachemistisacollegedegree,
suchasaB.S.orBachelorofScienceinchemistryoraB.A.orBachelorofArtsinchemistry.
Usuallythistakes4yearsofcollege.However,entryleveljobsinchemistryarerelativelyscarce
andmayofferlimitedopportunitiesforadvancement.Mostchemistshavemasters(M.S.)or
doctoral(Ph.D.)degrees.Advanceddegreesusuallyarerequiredforresearchandteaching
positions.Amastersdegreetypicallytakesanother11/2to2year(totalof6yearsofcollege),
whileadoctoraldegreetakes46years.Manystudentsgettheirmastersdegreeandthenproceed
tothe
edoctoraldegre
e,soittakes,onaverage,10yearsofcollegetogetaPh.D.(about
education)
WhenitcomestotheplaceswhereyoucanreceivetheeducationtobecomeaPhysical
ChemisttherearethreecommonplacesinCalifornia.OneisTheUniversityofCaliforniaSan
Diego,thisuniversityishighlyknownforheresciencemajors.AnotherUniversitywouldbeThe
UniversityofCaliforniaBerkeley,theyarehighlyqualifiedforanamazingeducationinscience.
ThelastuniversitythatifoundwasCaliforniaStateUniversityEastBay,thisuniversityisa
decentschoolforanysciencemajor.
Aftercollegeorduringcollegeyouprobablywouldwanttohavesomepracticewith
usingyourabilitiesthatyoulearnedfromyourmajorinscienceandwiththatcomesinternships.
IfoundthreebusinessesthatofferinternshipstoChemists.Thethreebusinessesare:Chemistry
internatKellyServicesinSanDiego,CAQualityAssuranceinternatNestleWatersNorth
AmericainOntario,CAStudentinternMaterialsscience/chemTechnicalGradSummerSandia

NationalLaboratoriesinLivermore,CA.Allthesebusinessesprovideamazingopportunitiesfor
internships.
PhysicalChemistsdealwithmanysubstancessomeexamplesare,H20,plastics,
ceramics,catalysis,electronics,fuelformulation,batteries(sulfuricacid),surfactantsand
colloids,nonnuclearcomponents.Allthesecomponentsareusedinchemicalreactionsthat
PhysicalChemistscreate.
BelowaresomeexamplesoftypesofdifferentchemicalreactionscreatedbyPhysical
Chemists:

onekindofachemicalreactioniscombustionwhencreatingfuel

oxidationreductionreactions
nuclearreactions


Thischemistisusingaburetteassumingheistryingtofindtheconcentrationoftheunknown
substance

Examplesofwhenchemicalchangesoccur

Sometoolschemistsuseerlenmeyerflask
Thetaperedsidesandnarrowneckofthisflask
allowthecontentsoftheflasktobemixedbyswirling,withoutriskofspillage,making
themsuitablefortitrations.

Abeakerisasimplecontainerforstirring,mixingandheatingliquidscommonlyusedin
manylaboratories.

Roundbottomflask:Heatingand/orboilingofliquid,
Distillation
,Containchemical
reactions

Washbottlesareused
tocleanlabglasswareandotherlabequipment.Theyarefilled
withwaterorothercleaningliquids,andpouredoverthetoolthatneedstobecleaned.

Bottleisusedtocontainanysubstance.]

EarningsforChemistsintheUnitedStatescomeinataround$52Kannuallyonaverage.
Earningsgenerallyvarybetween$35Kand$82Kperyear.IntheworldofChemists,overall
cashallowancecanoccasionallyincludemorethan$6Kfrombonusesand,insomeexceptional
cases,$9Kfromprofitsharing,causingincomestovarywidelybetween$35Kand$82K.This
group'spayismainlyinfluencedbythespecificemployer,followedbycareerlengthand
geographiclocation.MaleChemistsaremoreprevalentthanwomenamongthosewhotookthe
survey62percentofprofessionals.Medicalbenefitsareawardedtomost,andastrong
majorityearndentalcoverage.Mostworkersinthispositionreporthighlevelsofjob
satisfaction.(payscale)

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