Chemistry of Plastic
A protein is a long chain of amino acids. Which is the monomer and which is the polymer?
Monomer - Amino Acid
Polymer - Protein
What are microplastics?
Small pieces of plastic that have been broken down over time
How is most plastic disposed of in the US? Why is that a problem?
Landfills
not biodegradable
What is plastic made from today?
oil
What does the code on plastic items tell you?
What kind of plastic it is.
This type of reaction occurs when two different monomers join to form a polymer and water?
Condensation Polymerization
Give two examples of how Plastic is affecting animals in the ocean.
Strangling them, filling their stomach so they feel full and don't eat, creating blockages, cutting the animals which creates an infection
What are the 4 R's?
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
Refuse
This type of molding is used to make hollow plastic containers.
Blow molding
This protein can be separated out of milk using heat and vinegar. It creates a natural kind of plastic.
Caesin
In this type of polymerization, double bonds of hydrocarbons are broken and joined together to form polymers.
Addition Polymerization
These are circular ocean currents formed by the motion of winds around the planet.
Gyres
Discuss one pro and one con of plastics.
Answers will vary.
This type of molding is when softened thermoplastics are forced through an opening in a piece of metal, then it cools and hardens.
Extrusion
In the Identifying Plastics experiment what two properties were we testing in order to identify them?
Density
Durability
Polyethene bags, nylon, pvc, perspex, and polystyrene are all examples of this type of plastic.
Thermoplastics
What is one of the most common ways that that plastic waste gets into the ocean?
Plastic waste is blown by wind into a storm drain, that leads into the sewage and waste system, which leads out to the ocean.
What are plastic banks?
Stores in poor countries where you can trade plastic for goods.
Injection molding is used to create what type of plastic items?
bottle caps, cups, dessert bowls
Explain plastic leeching and how it affects human health.
scratching or heating plastic releases chemicals into the food/water. Could cause cardiovascular problems and cancer.
How do cross-links play a role in thermosetting plastics?
Thermosetting plastics have crosslinks between molecules, which prevents them from sliding over each other when heated. Once they are set into shape they cannot be remolded.
Explain the Coriolis effect.
temperature difference casue winds to travel away from equator, toward the poles, and back again. Since the Earth rotates on its axis the wind patterns curve.
What is something countries are doing to help the plastic pollution problem?
Answers will vary.
What was plastic made from in 1856?
Cellulose, from plants
Why didn't the pvc pipe sink the the Identifying Plastics experiment?
pvc is not made completely of pvc anymore. it was probably perspex which has a density that is way less than water, meaning it would float instead of sink.