What Is Plastic?
Discovering the Story Behind Plastic
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What Is Plastic?
Plastic is a material we use every day. It’s in toys, bottles, bags, phones, and even clothes! But have you ever wondered what it’s made from?
A Material Made by Humans
Plastic is not found in nature like wood or metal. It’s a man-made material, which means people create it using special ingredients and machines.
Where Does It Come From?
Most plastic starts its life as crude oil or natural gas. These are thick, sticky liquids found deep under the ground. They were formed millions of years ago from ancient plants and animals!
Scientists take crude oil and break it down into tiny building blocks called polymers. These polymers are like long chains made of small repeating parts called monomers.
How Is It Made?
- Step 1: Collecting Crude Oil or Natural Gas
Workers drill deep into the Earth to collect these resources. - Step 2: Turning It Into Monomers
The oil or gas is heated and changed into small chemical parts. - Step 3: Making Polymers
The monomers are linked together into long chains. These chains become the plastic we know! - Step 4: Shaping the Plastic
The plastic is melted, molded, or squished into different shapes like bottles, buttons, or even LEGO bricks!
Are All Plastics the Same?
Nope! There are many types of plastic. Some are soft and bendy, like plastic bags. Others are strong and hard, like plastic toys. Each type is made by using different polymers.
What About the Environment?
Plastic is useful, but it can also harm nature if we don’t recycle it. That’s why it’s important to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastic as much as we can!
