production of material 3

Question 1

what are fibres

Answer 1

tiny hairs that are spun into yarns

Question 2

how are synthetic fibres made

Answer 2

• crude oil is fractionally distilled and some of the products are made into polymers
• the polymers are melted and forced through tiny holes
• theyre then cooled to form long filaments
• these filaments are made into yarn which is wound onto spools, or chopped into staple lengths to be spun

Question 3

why can obtaining timber lead to environmental problems

Answer 3

• can cause deforestation, where large areas of forest are cut down
• these trees usually aren’t replanted to replace the old ones
• this destroys the forest habitat, which has a negative effect on the animals and plants that live there

Question 4

why can obtaining oil for polymers and synthetics cause environmental problems

Answer 4

• drilling for oil can release toxic chemicals into the atmosphere
• sludgy waste material or oil can also leak and pollute surrounding land or marine habitats and this can be harmful to the wildlife living there
• on land, habitats have to be cleared to make room for drill sites

Question 5

how can mining metals lead to environmental problems

Answer 5

• mining metals uses a lot of energy from fossil fuels - this causes air pollution and contributes to global warming
• habitats are also destroyed when large areas of land are cleared for mines
• chemicals and waste rock can pollute nearby water, which can also be harmful to wildlife

Question 6

how can farming natural fibres lead to environmental problems

Answer 6

farming natural fibres often uses artificial fertilisers and pesticides to help increase the amount of natural fibres produced

• these can pollute rivers and harm wildlife
• farming also needs a lot of land and getting it may involve deforestation or clearing habitats