The term plastics is a general term that refers to a man-made class of polymers. Polymers are long molecules that are made from smaller molecules joined together. Since plastics are man made bacteria find it hard to breakdown substances made of plastics. This can sometimes prove to be an undesirable characteristic of plastics as they tend to persist in the environment and become a source of pollution.
Plastics are used widely in society for a variety of purposes. Their uses has gained popularity mainly due to the fact that they are cheap to produce. The modern car is made of many different type of plastics, ranging from shock absorbing bumper bars to durable tyres and internal fittings.
Plastics are so cheap to produce that they are often used to manufacture disposable items such as cups or plastic cutlery. Their manufacture is usually automated by huge machines that produce each item by the thousands every second.
Some plastics are very flexible and resist melting. Such plastics are known as elastomers, an example of which is the rubber used to make tyres. Tyres need to cope with extreme heat of the road surface as well as the high temperatures generated by frictional forces when the brakes are applied while maintaining their shape.
Some plastics do not react with other substances and are chemically inert and non-toxic. Such plastics are used to coat non-stick surface of cookware. Still other type of plastics that resist melting at high temperatures are used to form the handles of cookware. A very important property of plastics that allow them to be used as handles is that they do not conduct heat.
The strength, non-toxic and unreactive nature of plastics make them useful for replacement joints.
Disposable nappies are made of plastic. Plastics are also water proof so can isolate fluids and stop them from spreading. Some plastics have unique properties that make them useful for specific uses. One such plastic is sodium polyacrylate. This plastic absorbs 500 times its own weight in water. It bonds the water molecules and prevents them from wetting the nappies or clothing. In actual fact it keeps the baby dry.
Plastic is more durable than paper and so is used for printing currency.
What are two properties of plastics that make them useful for the purpose shown on the right?
Give reasons why you selected the properties above.
What are four properties of plastics that make them useful for the purpose shown on the right?
Give reasons why you selected the properties above.
What are three properties of plastics that make them useful for the purpose shown on the right?
Give reasons why you selected the properties above.
The dashboard of a car is subjected to intense heat during the summer months. What are two properties of plastics that make them useful for the purpose shown on the right?
Give reasons why you selected the properties above.
Many items of clothing are made of natural polymers such as cotton and to a greater extent plastics such as polyester and nylon. The item of clothing on the right is made of a particular plastic. What two properties of this plastic are desirable?
Give reasons why you selected the properties above.
The kitchen is a place where many plastics are put to great use. It is not obvious at first, but on closer inspection you will see that many of the surface that appear to be timber or granite are actually plastic. What appears to be a granite bench top is actually made of hard, durable plastic, while the tiles on the floor are made of vinyl plastic. What two properties of this plastic are desirable?
Give reasons why you selected the properties above.
Many pipes are now made out of a plastic called polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
What three properties of PVC make it desirable for it to be used in this way?
Give reasons why you selected the properties above.
Hardware and home repair shops are full of examples of the many uses of plastics. Many glues are made of plastic material. That is, they are made of long, man-made molecules.
What three properties of the plastic found in glues are desirable?
Give reasons why you selected the properties above.
List five other uses of plastics and suggest the properties which make them ideal for this use.
The durability and long lasting nature of plastics make them very useful as builidng and packaging material. Why is this an undersirable property of plastics?
Continue with the some innovative uses of plastics
