Chemical engineering question?

Hi, I im 14 and almsot 15 and im in year 9 at highschool, I was thinking about doing chemical engineering, Im disapointed because I got off to a bad start in science this year, But i was really good last year.





I am not that awesome at math, But im willing to get better, how much math is used in chemical engineering? What is involved in chemical engineering?





What is the average day like for a chemical engineer?





Also, whats the difference between a chemistry degree and a chemical engineer?





Are chemical engineers going to be needed in the future? say 10 years from now?








Also, is it to late for me to get better at science and math? Im in year 9, is it a lost hope? or can i still do it?



People are always asking what is a chemical (or mechanical or civil) engineer's day like. The truth is there is no simple answer to that question. You can ask a dozen chemical engineers and you will probably get 12 different answers.





As to the difference between chemistry and chemical engineering, they are poles apart. To most people your age chemistry is mixing stuff together to get a reaction. Chemical engineering is much much more complex than chemistry. I think most chemists think in laboratory terms. Chemical engineers think and are involved in much larger terms and more complex operations.





Will chemical engineers be needed in the future. Who knows for sure which engineering discipline will be "hot" ten years from now. I do know all engineering disciplines will always be needed and a good engineer will always be able to find a good job.





Now about being good in math and science. Are your problems related to not understanding the principles or just not doing the work to get good grades? Not doing the work is one thing but if you really don't understand the principles then you may need to think of another career path. In engineering understanding the principles is much more important than doing the math. Today so much of the calculations are built into computer software that understanding what you are doing is much more important than being able to crank out the numbers.





My degree is in mechanical engineering but I had two chemical engineers for room mates in college so I have a pretty good idea of what their study requirements were. After graduation I have worked with many chemical engineers and have even learned a good deal of chemical engineering my self. It can be a very interesting career.