Synthetic Fibres and Plastics Test - 3

• Plastic is also a polymer like the synthetic fibre.

• Polymer means that it is a large number of small units join together to form one big unit i.e. polymer, which makes the synthetic fibre that is plastic.

• Plastic finds so many diverse used because:

• Plastic is easily mouldable.

• Plastic can be recycled, reused, coloured, melted, rolled into sheets or made into wires.

• That is why it finds such a variety of uses.

• When we add hot water to a plastic bottle, it gets deformed.

• Such plastic which gets deformed easily on heating and can be bent easily are known as thermoplastics.

• Polythene and PVC are some examples.

• Thermoplastics are used to makes toys, combs, containers etc.

• Polythene is a plastic.

• It is a polymer of ethene.

• It is a thermoplastic.

• Polythene is most commonly used to make polythene bags.

• Plastics which when moulded once, cannot be softened by heating are called thermosetting plastics.

• Two examples are: Melamine and Bakelite.

• Thermosetting plastics are poor conductors of heat and electricity

Cotton, wool and silk are derived from natural sources. Cotton is obtained from cotton plant, Silk is obtained from Silkworms and wool is obtained from sheep, llamas, yaks. These are all natural sources i.e plants and animals.

Only nylon is a man-made fibre which was first made from coal, water and air which are all synthetic sources.

Therefore, nylon is the correct answer.

Rayon is known as artificial silk. Rayon is called artificial silk because it is produced from naturally occurring polymers and looks like silk.

Rayon was created because real silk was very expensive. Rayon has properties similar to that of silk.

Nylon is used for making parachutes because nylon threads are very strong. In fact Nylon thread is actually stronger than a steel wire.

Nylon is fibre is very strong, elastic and light.

The synthetic fibres that appear to resemble wool are known as acrylic. Synthetic source of wool was needed because real wool is very expensive. Acrylic on the other hand is affordable and durable.

Terylene is a popular polyester. It can be drawn into very fine fibres that can be woven like any other yarn.

PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) is another very familiar form of polyester. It is widely used to make bottles, utensils, films, wires and many other types of products.