Chemistry and chemical engineering are two crucial science and engineering subjects. Chemistry is the fundamental subject that offers an in-depth understanding of matter, energy, and reactions between various substances. Chemical engineering applies the knowledge obtained from chemistry to create materials that are useful and efficient for humanity. Although chemical engineering can be viewed as applied chemistry, there is a separate field called applied chemistry, which is why the distinction between chemistry and chemical engineering can be confusing for some people. This article will clarify these differences for readers.
Key Takeaways
- Chemistry provides in-depth knowledge of chemical properties of substances and their reactions with other substances, whereas chemical engineering uses this knowledge to develop new designs and products that are more useful for us.
- Chemical engineering focuses on solving practical problems and designing useful and more efficient products while keeping human safety in mind, combining principles of chemistry with other branches of science, such as physics and math.
- Chemists are more likely to be employed in research labs where new drugs are made, while chemical engineers have more versatile employment opportunities in various governmental and private industries.
