They try to put that knowledge to practical use. People often think of chemicals as artificial or toxic substances. However, all physical things, whether made by humans or naturally occurring, are made of chemicals. Chemists do experiments to learn how matter is composed. They study chemical problems and analyze data.
Some chemists conduct basic research to expand knowledge of the field.
These chemists usually work in an academic setting. In industry, chemists analyze materials to make new products. Some of these products may be drugs, paints, synthetic fibers, and foods. They find new processes that save energy and reduce pollution, such as improved oil refining. Chemists use computers to monitor research experiments, do math computations, and collect and store data.