SYNTHETIC FIBRES AND PLASTICS

1. Differentiate between Natural & Artificial fibres.

Natural fibres are the fibres which are obtained from nature (from
plants and animals). For eg. Cotton, Jute, wool and silk.
Whereas, artificial fibres are those which are developed by scientists
and are manufactured in factories are called artificial or synthetic or
man-made fibres.
2. Define
a) Fibre A very thin, thread like strand from which cloth is made is
called a fibre.
b) Fabric A fabric is made by weaving or knitting long, twisted
threads called yarn.
3. Define a monomer and a polymer and also polymerisation.
The simple and small molecule from which natural fibres are made is
called a monomer.
A polymer is made up of many small repeating units (monomers) in
the form of a chain.
The process from which artificial fibres are made from simple
molecules is called polymerisation.
4. What is rayon or artificial silk?
Rayon is a man-made fibre prepared from a natural raw material
(wood pulp) by chemical treatment. It is also called artificial silk
because of its similar shine and texture.
5. Why is rayon sometimes called regenerated fibre?
Rayon is called a regenerated fibre because the raw material is a
natural fibre. This natural fibre is processed to obtain a fibre similar
to silk.
6. Why is rayon not truly an artificial fibre?
Rayon is not truly an artificial fibre because its raw material is a
natural fibre.
7. How is rayon made?
1) It is dissolved in Sodium Hydroxide solution to form a sticky liquid
called viscose.
2) Viscose is forced to pass through the tiny holes of a metal
cylinder into a solution of Sulphuric Acid. A silk like thread of
Rayon is formed.
8. List any three properties of rayon fibre.
1) It has a beautiful texture similar to that of silk.
2) It is cheaper than silk.
3) Its feel, appearance and shine resembles silk.
9. Write the uses of rayon.
1) It is used in textile industries to make clothing like sarees,
dresses, socks, etc.
2) It is mixed with cotton to make furnishings such as bed sheets,
curtains, etc.
3) It is mixed with wool to make carpets.
4) It is used in industries in manufacturing tyre cord.
5) It is used in medical field for making bandages and surgical
dressings.
10.
Why nylon is used in making carpets and socks?
Because rayon can imitate the feel and texture of silk, wool, cotton
and linen.
11.
What is nylon? What polymer is it made up of?
It is a truly artificial (man-made) fibre. It does not use any natural
fibre as its raw material. It is the first fully synthetic fibre. It is made
up of Polyamide.
12.
Discuss the properties of Nylon.
1) They are fairly strong and elastic.
2) They are light and lustrous.
3) They absorb very little water. So clothes made up of nylon are
easy to wash and dry.

4) It is wrinkle resistant.
5) They have high wear and tear resistance. So they are very
durable and long lasting.
6) It is not attacked by moths and ordinary chemicals.

13.
Discuss the various uses of Nylon.
1) It is highly elastic, tensile and has silk like appearance. So it is
used in carpets and socks.
2) Nylon is used in many military applications like ropes, parachutes,
etc.
3) It is highly durable and its fibres are used for making seat belts,
tyre cords, clothes etc.
4) It is used for making common household articles, such as
toothbrush bristles, combs, hooks etc.
5) It is used for making ropes for rock climbing and fishing nets.
14.
What is Terylene? List its three properties.
Terylene is another synthetic fibre which is used for making clothes.
Its characteristics are
1) It is elastic.
2) It is highly durable
3) It is wrinkle resistant and moth resistant.
15.
What are the uses of Terylene?
1) It is largely used for making fabrics like shirts, trousers and other
dress materials.
2) It is used for making sails for boats.
3) It is used for making conveyor belts.
16.
What is the full form of PET.?
Poly Ethene Tetraphthalate.
17.
Give the uses of PET.
1) It is used for making containers for packaging food and soft
drinks. PET bottles are used in industries for selling all kinds of
soft drinks and oils etc.
2) It is used for making magnetic tapes used in audio and video
cassette recorders.
18.
Discuss the properties of PET.
1) It is very light weight.
2) It is naturally colourless with high transparency.
3) It is strong and impact resistant.
4) It is shatter proof.
19.
What are Acrylic Fibres?
Acrylic are the synthetic fibres which appear to resemble wool. They
are also called Acrylon.
20.
Give uses of acrylic fibres.
1) They are used for making blankets, which are very light and have
the same warmth as woollen blankets.
2) Articles made from acrylic are cheap and are available in a variety
of colours.
21.
Give characteristics of Acrylic.
1) It is light weight, soft, warm with wool like feel.
2) It retains its shape, resists shrinkage and wrinkles.
3) It can be dyed very well.
4) It absorbs very little water and can be quickly dried.
5) Acrylic fibres are strong and durable.
6) They are resistant to moths and most chemicals.
22.
Write advantages of synthetic fibres.
1) They have a long lasting lustre.

2) They last longer as compared to natural fibres.

3) They are easy to clean.
4) They dry quickly.
5) They do not wrinkle and as such need very little or no ironing.
6) They are less expensive than natural fibres.
23.
Out of natural and synthetic fibres, which fibre soaks
less water and dry quickly?
Synthetic fibres.
24.
What is tensile strength?
The maximum weight a fibre can withstand is called tensile strength.
25.
Arrange the following fibres in the increasing order of
their tensile strengthWool, Cotton, Nylon, Terylene
Cotton, Wool, Terylene, Nylon
26.
Why should we not wear clothes made up of Nylon and
Polyester while working in kitchen?
Because these fibres when exposed to fire, do not catch fire instead
they melt and stick to the skin causing severe burns.
27.
List any three disadvantages of synthetic fibres.
1) They have a low melting point (melt at very low temperature) and
burn to form small sticking beads at high temperature. Therefore
it is always advisable not to wear synthetic clothes in kitchen.
2) Unlike natural fibres, they do not absorb sweat. Therefore clothes
made from synthetic fibres are very uncomfortable in summer
and rainy season.
28.
Explain how manufacturing of fully synthetic fibres is
helping in the conservation of forests.
This is because the fully synthetic fibres are manufactured from
petrochemicals so no trees have to be cut to manufacture them.
29.
What are plastics?
A plastic is a synthetic material which can be moulded into desired
shape when soft and then hardened to produce a durable article.
30.
What are thermo plastics?
A plastic which can be softened repeatedly by heating and can be
moulded again and again is called a thermo plastic. They are flexible
and can be bent without breaking. They are also called
Thermosetting Plastics. For eg. Polyethene and PVC. They are used
for making those articles which do not get too hot and are flexible.
For eg. Toys, Comb, Jars, Bottles, packaging materials, tooth brush
bristles etc. They can be recycled.
31.
What are thermosetting plastics?
A plastic which once set, does not becomes soft on heating and
cannot be moulded a second time. It will retain its shape
permanently. They do not bend at all. For eg. Melamine, Bakelite. It is
used for making those articles which get too hot during use and are
hard and rigid. They are used in cooking utensils, Plates, Cups, Ball
Point pens etc. They cannot be recycled.
32.
Write any five characteristics of synthetic plastics.
1) Light Weight Synthetic plastic material are very light weight as
compared to natural plastic material.
2) High Tensile Strength Synthetic plastic can hold a lot of force
without breaking, for example, a thread of cotton can withstand
less weight as compared to thread of synthetic plastic of same
thickness.
3) Resistance to chemicals Synthetic plastics are not easily
affected by strong chemicals, such as acids and alkalis.
4) Non-Biodegradable - They are not biodegradable, i.e. they do not
with like natural plastics.
5) Lustrous and colourful They can be made more shiny and
colourful

33.
Discuss the structural difference between Thermosets
and Thermo plastics.
In thermoplastics, the long polymer chains are not cross linked with
one another. Due to this, they can slide over one another on heating
and become soft and ultimately melts. Whereas in thermosets, the
long polymer chains are cross linked with one another. Due to this,
they do not change their shape and do not become soft on heating
and prevent displacement or sliding.
34.
Why Bakelite is used in making electrical switches and
handles of various utensils.
Because Bakelite is an insulator of heat and electricity.
35.
Why melamine plastics are used for making
kitchenware and fabrics which resist fire?
Because melamine is resistant to fire and do not break easily.
36.
Explain why thermo plastics become soft on heating but
thermosets do not.
Because thermo Plastics have a linear arrangement whereas
thermosets have a cross linked structure.
37.
Explain why plastic containers are preferred for storing
food.
Plastic is cheap and does not reacts with acids. Therefor it is
preferred for storage.
38.
Why are thermo plastics used for making insulation of
wires?
Because they can be remoulded and moreover they are insulators of
Electricity.
39.
What are biodegradable and non-biodegradable
materials? Give examples.
A material which gets decomposed through natural process such as
action of bacteria is called biodegradable. For eg. Parts of
Vegetables, fruits, left over stuff, paper, cotton, wood etc.
Whereas, materials that do not decompose through natural process
and take a very long time to degrade are called non bio degradable.
For eg. Plastic bags, buckets etc.
40.
Why the disposal of plastic garbage is a major problem
all over the world?
Because plastic does not get decomposed by natural processes, such
as action of bacteria. + Ans.43
41.
Write any four measures to control the damage caused
by plastic waste.
1) Do not throw plastic wrappers carelessly on the road. They are
ultimately carried to city sewage system, resulting in clogging of
drainage.
2) Bio degradable and non-biodegradable waste should be collected
separately and disposed of separately.
3) Make use of bags made of cotton or jute when you go out for
shopping. This will reduce the use of plastics.
4) Develop habits to preserve environment.
42.
What does the 4 Rs principle represent in context to
usage of plastic?
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover.
43.
What are the damage caused by plastics?
1) Plastic bags and other articles clog the city drainage system,
thereby, causing a lot of inconvenience.
2) Stray cows and other animals, in the process of eating the food
waste, swallow materials like polythene bags. This chokes their
digestive tract, which may lead to death of the animal.

3) Plastic takes several years to decompose and are not

environment friendly and cause environmental pollution.
4) Plastics, if burnt, produce harmful gases which pollute air.
44.
Which type of plastics are used in following
a) Uniform of firemen Melamine
b) Non Stick Coating Teflon
c) Handle of Frying Pan Bakelite
d) Insulation of electric wires PVC
e) Electrical switches Bakelite
f) Flexible water bottles Polyethene (PET)