Grade: Class 8th CBSE

Subject: Science
Chapter: Synthetic Fibres and Plastics

Topics in the Chapter

• Introduction
• Synthetic fibres or man-made fibres
• Types of polymers
• Polyster
• Acrylic
• Plastics
→ Thermoplastics
→ Thermosetting plastics
→ Characteristics of plastics
→ Uses of plastics
• Biodegradable substances
• Non-biodegradable substances
Introduction

→ Fabrics are made from fibres obtained from natural or artificial

sources.

→ They are also used for making a large variety of household

articles.

Synthetic fibres (or man-made fibres)

→ They are chains of small units joined together (each small unit is a
chemical substance).

→ These small units combine to form a large single unit called a

polymer.

Types of polymers

• Addition polymers

→ Monomers combine together to form a giant molecule known as

the polymer. No molecule is eliminated during formation of addition
polymers.

→ Examples of addition polymer are polythene, polyvinyl chloride

etc.

• Condensation polymers

→ Several small units of monomers combine with each other, along

with elimination of simple molecule like water to form polymer unit.

→ Examples of condensation polymer are nylon-66, terylene etc.

Polyester

→ Fabric made from polyester does not get wrinkled easily.

→ Common polyester includes terylene and PET

→ PET is used for making utensils, films, wires, bottles, etc. Terylene
is used for making dress materials.
Acrylic

→ It is relatively cheaper than wool.

→ Sweaters, shawls and blankets are made from acrylic.

Characteristics of synthetic fibres

→ They dry up quickly, are durable, less expensive, readily available,

and easy to maintain.
→ However, fabric made of synthetic fibre melts on catching fire and
sticks to the body of person wearing it.

→ So, synthetic clothes should not be worn while working in kitchen

or laboratory.

Plastics

→ They are polymer-like synthetic fibres.

→ Arrangement of small units is linear or cross-linked.

→ Can be recycled, reused, coloured, melted, rolled into sheets, or

made into wires.

• Thermoplastics

→ These are the plastics that get deformed easily on heating and
can be bent easily.
Examples: polythene and PVC

• Thermosetting plastics

→ These are the plastics, which when moulded once, cannot be

softened by heating. Examples: bakelite and melamine

Characteristics of plastics

→ They are non-reactive.

→ They are light, strong, and durable.

→ They are poor conductors of heat and electricity.

Use of plastics

→ They are used to store various kinds of materials such as food

items, chemicals etc.

→ It is widely used in various industries and for making a variety of

household articles.

→ They are extensively used in health care industry for making

syringes, threads for stitching wounds, doctor’s gloves, and other
medical instruments.

→ Fire resistant plastics are used as a coating on the suits of the

firemen.

Biodegradable substances

→ These are the materials that decompose through natural

processes such as by the action of bacteria.
Examples: paper, peels of vegetables, wood and fruits, etc.

Non-biodegradable substances

→ These are the materials that are not easily decomposed by

natural processes. Examples: plastic bags, metals, etc.

→ Plastics are not environment friendly as they cause environment

pollution.
→ To minimize the environmental hazards, the 4R principle must be
used.

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Recover.

Very Short Answers Questions

1. Why plastic is used in aircraft and spaceships.
A. Plastics are lighter compared to metals.
B. Plastics are cheaper.
C. Plastics are easy to handle.
D. Plastic can be recycled.
Ans: A. Plastics are lighter compared to metals.

2. Which one of the following is non-biodegradable material?

A. Paper
B. Metal cans
C. Cotton cloth
D. Wood
Ans: B. Metal cans

3. Plastics are poor conductor of ________

A. Air
B. Water
C. Heat and electricity
D. None of these
Ans: C. Heat and electricity
4. What is PET?
A. Polyester
B. Polyester and Terylene
C. Poly Ethene Terephthalate
D. Poly Ethene Terylene
Ans: C. Poly Ethene terephthalate

5. Rajesh found that woolen blankets were expensive as it was

made from natural fibre. He wanted a blanket that was similar
to woolen blanket, but cheaper. He can buy a blanket made of
________ fibre.
A. Silk
B. Nylon
C. Acrylic
D. Cotton
Ans: C. Acrylic

6. Terylene is a popular form of _________.

A. Nylon
B. Plastic
C. Rayon
D. Polyester
Ans: D. polyester
Short Answers Questions
1. Write any two examples of polyester fabric.
Ans: A polyester is a type of fabric and its two examples are terylene
and PET.

2. Write any one use of Bakelite.

Ans: Electrical switches are made using Bakelite.

3. Polycot is a mixture of _______ and _______ .

Ans: Polycot is a mixture of polyester and cotton.

4. Synthetic fibres are obtained by chemical processing of

_________.
Ans: Synthetic fibres are obtained by chemical processing of
petrochemicals.

5. Choose the odd one out – nylon, rayon, silk, acrylic.

Ans: Silk (nylon, rayon, and acrylic are synthetic fibres whereas silk is
natural).

6. Give two examples of thermosetting plastics.

Ans: Two examples of thermosetting plastics are bakelite and
melamine.

7. _______ is a large single unit made up of many repeated small

units.
Ans: Polymer is a large single unit made up of many repeated small
units.

8. What is the 5R5R principle?

Ans: 5R5R principle works on the following rules:
 Reduce
  Reuse
 Recycle
 Recover
 Refuse

9. __________ is made up of a large number of glucose units.

Ans: Cellulose is made up of a large number of glucose units.

Short Answer Questions

1. Draw a simple diagram of the linear and cross-linked
arrangement of units in plastic.
Ans: Diagrams of linear and cross-linked arrangement of units in
plastic are given below:

2. List any three characteristic properties of plastic.

Ans: The three characteristic properties of plastic are:
a. Non-reactive in nature.
b. They are light in weight but are strong and durable.
c. Poor conductor of heat and electricity.

3. What do you mean by biodegradable?

Ans: As the name suggests, biodegradable means naturally
degradable i.e., the products that are environmentally friendly and are
capable of decomposing by natural processes such as the action of
bacteria. For example – paper, cotton cloth, wood, etc.

4. Why is nylon suitable for making clothes?

Ans: Nylon is suitable for making clothes because it is strong, elastic,
light, lustrous, and easy to wash.

5. ‘Plastic is a poor conductor of heat and electricity. With an

example to justify the statement.
Ans: Plastic is a poor conductor of heat and electricity. This statement
can be justified because the electric wire has a plastic covering. Also,
the handles of screwdrivers and testers are made of plastic. The plastic
covering is used because it prevents the chances of electric shock.

6. Sort the following materials into - biodegradable and non-

biodegradable plastic bottle, flower, wooden bowl, banana
peel, cotton cloth, soda can
Ans: Biodegradable products are flowers, wooden bowls, banana
peels, and cotton cloth. Non-biodegradable products are plastic bottles
and soda cans.

7. Write two differences between natural and synthetic fibre.

Ans: The differences between natural and synthetic fibre are:

Natural Fibre Synthetic Fibre

As the name suggests, they are As the name

obtained from natural sources such suggests, they are
as plants and animals. man-made fibres.

They are less durable and They are more

expensive. durable and cheaper.

8. Answer the following:

a. Which is the fibre obtained from the natural source?
Ans: The fibre that is obtained from the natural source is cotton.
b. Write a short note on this fibre.
 Ans: Rayon is obtained from a natural source; it grows in
a protective case around the seeds of the cotton plants. It is cheaper
than silk. It is spun into yarn or thread and is used to make a soft,
breathable fabric. The fabrics made of cotton are used in clothing,
furnishing, and industrial areas. Cotton is mixed with rayon to make
bed sheets.

9. What is the disadvantage of synthetic fibre?

Ans: The main disadvantage of synthetic fibres is that they are
inflammable i.e., they melt on heating and if clothes catch fire, the
fabric melts and sticks to the body of the person wearing it.

10. Being responsible citizens, how can we avoid plastics?

Ans: Being a responsible citizens, we can avoid plastics by the
following practices:
a. Using steel or copper water bottles instead of plastic.
b. Using cotton or jute carry bags instead of plastic.
c. Using a steel lunch box instead of a plastic one.

11. Identify and correct the errors in the following statements.

a. Polyester is a strong fibre that is used for making
parachutes and ropes for rock climbing.
Ans: Instead of polyester, nylon should be there as all the
characteristics given in the statement are of nylon. Nylon is a strong
fibre that is used for making parachutes and ropes for rock climbing.
b. Natural fibres are more durable and affordable which makes
them more popular than synthetic fibres.
Ans: The use of synthetic and natural are interchanged. Synthetic
fibres are more durable and affordable which makes them more
popular than natural fibres.

Long Answer Question

1. Describe the following with examples:
a. Thermoplastic
 Ans: Thermoplastics are materials that get deformed easily on
heating. They are malleable and can be easily bent. Some examples
of thermoplastics are polythene and PVC. Thermoplastics are mainly
used in the manufacturing and production of toys and combs.
b. Thermosetting plastics.
Ans: Thermosetting plastics are materials that can be moulded only
once and cannot be softened by heating. Some examples of
thermosetting plastics are bakelite and melamine. Melamine resists
fire and can tolerate heat, it is used for making floor tiles,
kitchenware, and fabrics. Bakelite is a poor conductor of heat and
electricity and is used for making electrical switches, handles of
various utensils, etc.

2. Write the applications of plastics in different industries.

Ans: Some applications of plastics in different industries are:
a. Healthcare industry – packaging of tablets, threads used for
stitching wounds, syringes, and doctors’ gloves.
b. Cooking – some microwave plastic cookware.
c. Cooking – Teflon coating is used for non-stick coating on
cookware.
d. Uniforms of firemen – they have a coating of melamine
plastic.

3. Complete the following crossword using the clues given

below.
Across
3. Fabrics do not wrinkle easily
4. Used for making parachutes and stockings
Down
1. Prepared by using wood pulp
2. Used to make non-stick cookware
Ans: The solved cross-word is given below:
4. The government of India has declared many areas as
“Plastic Free Zone” and has banned the use of plastic and
polythene bags. Why do you think the government has taken
this decision? What are the possible hazards of plastics?
Ans: Plastic takes a long time to degrade and is harmful to the
environment. It has a negative impact on the environment.
Furthermore, the synthetic materials’ burning process is slow, and it
does not simply burn fully. It pollutes the air by releasing a large
number of harmful gases into the atmosphere. Not only that, but it has
a variety of effects on animals. They consume items such as polythene
bags and food wrappers when consuming food trash in the rubbish.
The plastic material suffocates these animals; respiratory systems or
creates a lining in their stomachs, perhaps leading to death. Polybags
tossed improperly are also responsible for obstructing drains. The
government has outlawed plastic in specific locations as a result of the
aforementioned activities.
5. With the help of activity show that synthetic fibre dries up
faster than natural fibres.
Ans: Let’s take two identical cloth pieces, each about half a metre
square. At least one of these should be made of natural fibre. The
alternative option is to use synthetic fibre. You can enlist your parents;
assistance in choosing these items. Soak the pieces in separate mugs
with the same quantity of water in each. After five minutes, remove
the pieces from the containers and place them in the sun for a few
minutes. Compare the amount of water that is left in each container.
Conclusion: Synthetic fibres take less time to dry than natural fibres
because they absorb less water.