Plastics

Question 1

What is crude oil made from?

Answer 1

• Crude oil is a thick, black, foul-smelling liquid.

* The oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons, which are separated in an oil refinery by fractional distillation.

Question 2

How are plastics made?

Answer 2

Making Plastics
1. Simple hydrocarbons are separated from crude oil. They are known as monomers.
2. These monomers react together and form long chains called polymers.
All plastics are made up of repeating units (monomers) linked together to form polymers. This is called polymerisation.

Question 3

What are plastics made from???

Answer 3

• Plastics are made from crude oil.

Question 4

How do plastics effect the environment?? (5)

Answer 4

• Plastic does not break down easily.
• It is not biodegradable- bacteria cannot break it down.
• Many plastics now contain an additive which promotes the breakdown of the plastic to carbon dioxide and water.
• Many plastics are a fire risk.
• When they burn, poisonous fumes are created.
Heating Plastics

Question 5

What two groups to plastics fall in?

Answer 5

Plastics fall into two categories:

1. Plastics which melt when heated.
2. Plastics which do not melt or soften on heating.

Question 6

Give two maples of plastic, 2 uses and 3 reasons for why they r used for that

Answer 6

1)Polythene
Plastic Bags,Lunch Boxes.
Strong,Cheap,Flexible

2)Nylon
Tights,Carpets.
Can be spun into fibres, Hard wearing, Slippery.