CBSE Std - VIII Semester – I Sub –Science Notes

Lesson – 3 Synthetic Fibres and Plastics

Words to study :
1) synthetic
2) polyesters
3) terylene
4) acrylic
5) polyethene tetraphthalate
6) polypropene
7) polystyrene
8) polyvinyl chloride
9) polymer
10) characteristics
Q.I] Multiple choice questions :
1) The raw material used for making rayon is
a) ethene b) wood pulp c) ester d) PVC
Ans : b) wood pulp
2) Synthetic fibre used for making light weight blankets is
a) polyester b) koroseal c) acrylic d) polythene
Ans : c) acrylic
3) The material which is not biodegradable is
a) cardboard b) cotton gauze
c) dried leaves d) nylon fishing nets
Ans : d) nylon fishing nets
4) Rayon fibres are used for making
a) undergarments b) bedsheets
c) parachutes d) sail of boats
Ans : b) bedsheets
 5) Synthetic fibres
a) have lustre b) need lot of ironing
c) do not get electrically charged d) absorb moisture
Ans : a) have lustre
6) The process by which artificial fibres are made is called
a) polymerization b) plasticity
c) elasticity d) none of these
Ans : a) polymerisation
7) A product formed by large number of monomers is called
a) plastic b) polymer c) cotton d) none of these
Ans : b) polymer
8) A material which can be easily moulded into various forms is
called
a) plastic b) wool c) cotton d) jute
Ans : a) plastic
9) Synthetic plastic materials obtained by gentle heating and
moulding that cannot be reshaped by gentle heating is called
a) thermoplastic b) thermosetting plastic
c) polypropene d) all of these
Ans : b) thermosetting plastic
10) A superior synthetic fibre made by the polymerization of amide
molecules obtained from petroleum products is called
a) teflon b) nylon
c) koroseal d) all of these
Ans : d) all of these
Q.II Fill in the blanks
1) When a silk fibre is burnt, the residue swells up to form black ash.
2) The simplest molecule of a polymer is called monomer.
3) The polymer of vinyl chloride is polyvinyl chloride.
 4) Teflon has antisticking property and is used as a coating on the
surface of frying pans.
5) Rayon is obtained from a viscose solution by passing it through a
spinneret.
Q.III Mention whether the following statements are true or false.
1) Nylon is a polymer of amide molecules. – true
2) Thermosetting plastics can be easily remoulded on heating - false
3) Rayon is a regenerated fibre. – true
4) Synthetic fibres shrink on washing. – false
5) Polyester fibres are used for making hand knit sweaters. – false
6) Acrylic fibre burns with a sooty flame and shrinks to form black
beads – true
Q.IV Statements given below are incorrect. Write the correct
statements.
1) Polyester is made by polymerising polyvinyl chloride.
Ans : Polyester is made by polymerizing ethenetetraphthalate
molecules.
2) The plastic used for insulating refrigerators, is Teflon.
Ans : The plastic used for insulating refrigerators, is polystyrene.
3) The raw materials for making rayon, is propene.
Ans : The raw materials for making rayon, is cotton or wood pulp.
4) Synthetic fibres are good absorbers of sweat.
Ans : Synthetic fibres are poor absorbers of sweat.
Q.V Match the statements in column A with those in column B

Column A Column B
1) A polymer of b) Acrylon
acrylonitrite
2) A higher polymer of a) Koroseal
vinyl chloride
3) A regenerated fibre. d)Rayon
4) A pure synthetic fibre c)Nylon
5) A fibre which burns f) Wool
poorly with the smell of
burning hair and the residue
is the form of a grey ball.
6) A fibre burns e) Cotton
vigorously with the smell of
burning paper and forms
very little ash

Q.VI] Assertion and reason type questions :

In each of the following questions a statement of Assertion
is given followed by a corresponding statement of Reason
just below it. Of the statements, mark the correct answer as
a) If both assertion and reason are true and reason is the
correct explanation of assertion.
b) If both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the
correct explanation of assertion.
c) If assertion is true but reason is false.
 d) If both assertion and reason are false.
1) Assertion – Bakelite is used for making electrical
switches.
Reason – Bakelite is a poor conductor of electricity.
Ans – (a) Both assertion and reason are true and reason is the
correct explanation of assertion.
2) Assertion – Thermosetting plastics cannot be remoulded.
Reason – Thermosetting plastics can be softened on
heating.
Ans - c) Assertion is true but reason is false.
3) Assertion – Synthetic fibres are more popular than natural
fibres.
Reason – Synthetic fibres are more durable and less
expensive.
Ans – a) Both assertion and reason are true and reason is
the correct explanation of assertion.
Q.VII] Answer the following :
1) What are (a) thermoplastics (b) thermosetting plastics ?
Support you answer with two examples for each kind of plastic.
Ans. a) Thermoplastics –
Synthetic plastic materials obtained by gentle heating and
moulding, such that the moulded materials can be reshaped by
gentle heating are called thermoplastics.
Exmaples – Polythene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene
 b) Thermosetting plastics –
Synthetic plastic materials obtained by gentle heating and
moulding such that the moulded materials cannot be reshaped by
gentle heating are called thermosetting plastics.
Examples – Bakelite, polyurethene.
2) How do plastics differ from natural fibres with respect to –
(a) chemical resistance (b) weather resistance (c) tensile
strength (d) insulation ?
Ans. a) Chemical resistance –
Plastic materials are highly resistant to strong chemicals like acids
and alkalis as compared to natural plastics like cotton, wool, silk,
etc.
b) Weather resistance –
Synthetic plastics are not bio-degradable i.e. they do not weather
unlike natural plastics such as cotton and wool.
c) Tensile strength –
Synthetic plastics can withstand a lot of force without getting
broken.
d) Insulation –
Synthetic plastic materials are far better with respect to heat and
electrical insulation. Hence, they are used to cover electric wires
rather than cotton or silk.
3) Name the plastics obtained from the following raw materials
and state two uses of each plastic a) ethene b) propene c) ethene
tetraphthalate d) tetrafluoroethene
Ans. a) Ethene – Plastic obtained from ethane is polythene.
Uses :
i) It is used for making thin films which are used for making
carry bags, adhesive tapes, etc.
 ii) It is used for making kitchen and laboratory ware, such as
cups and bottles.
iii) It is used as insulation for electric wires.
b) Propene – Plastic obtained is poly propene
Uses –
It is used for making ropes, packaging materials and
containers.
It is used for making synthetic carpets.
It is used for making the body of automobile batteries.
It is used for making collapsible toys.
c) Ethane tetraphthalate – Plastic obtained is polyethene
tetraphthalate.
Uses :
i) It is used for making synthetic clothes.
ii) It is used for making containers for packaging food and soft
drinks.
iii) It is used for making audio.
d) Tetraflouroethence – Plastic obtained is Polytetra
Flouroethene. (Teflon )
Uses :
i) It is used as coating on the surface of baking pans and frying
pans.
ii) It is used as a lubricant, especially, in those parts of machine,
where oil cannot be easily applied.
4) Briefly describe how pure cotton is converted into rayon.
Ans. Rayon is produced from the natural fibre in the following steps –
i) Pure cotton or cellulose is soaked in 30% solution of caustic
soda for three hours.
 ii) The caustic soda solution is then removed and the product is
gently warmed with carbon disulphide. The product so formed is
called cellulose xanthate.
iii) Cellulose xanthate is again dissolved in caustic soda solution,
when it forms another product commonly called viscose solution.
This solution is carefully filtered to remove any insoluble
impurities.
iv) The viscose solution is then slowly passed through a spinneret
placed in the bath of dilute sulphuric acid. The viscose hardens to
form a very fine filament. The filament is then wound on a spool.
5) Name the raw materials for the preparation of nylon. State
four important uses of nylon fibres.
Ans : Nylon is prepared by polymerization of the amide molecules from
petroleum products by complex chemical process.
i) It is used for making fabric for clothing and parachutes. It is
used for making stockings on account of its high elasticity.
ii) It is used for making common household articles, such as
toothbrushes, combs, zip-fastener and hooks.
iii) It is used for making tyre cords and strings for tennis racquets
etc.
iv) It is used for making ropes for rock climbing and fishing nets.
6) State three ways by which synthetic fibres are (a) superior (b)
inferior as compared to natural fibres.
Ans. a) Synthetic fibres are superior to natural fibres in following
ways –
i) Synthetic fibres have high lustre and do not become yellow with
age.
ii) They are easy to clean and dry quickly.
 iii) They do not shrink on washing, require less ironing, are cheap
and last long.
b) Synthetic fibres are inferior to natural fibres in following
ways –
i) They easily melt and burn to form small sticky beads at high
temperature, hence, non-friendly in kitchen.
ii) They do not absorb sweat, hence, uncomfortable to wear.
iii) They are not biodegradable, hence, cause a lot of pollution.
7) Explain why some fibres are called man-made fibres.
Ans. The fibres which do not exist in nature but are made by humans by
combining simple molecules by process of polymerisation are
called man-made fibres.
8) Give two examples which indicate that nylon fibres are
stronger than cotton fibres.
Ans. i) Nylon fibres of particular thickness can support far more weight
than cotton fibres of same thickness.
ii) Nylon fibres are used for making fishing nets which do not
break when jerked but cotton fibres tear easily.
9) Why do we use plastic containers instead of metal containers,
for storing food articles ?
Ans. i) Metal containers are reactive to organic acids and bases present
in the food and hence, turn the food into toxic substances.
ii) Plastic containers are resistant to acids and bases present in the
food. Hence the food does not react chemically with plastics.
iii) Also plastic containers are cheap, transparent, air – tight
whereas metal containers are costly and opaque.
10) Explain why the following are made of thermosetting plastics.
a) Chairs –
Ans : i) Chairs are made up of thermosetting plastics. The moulding is
 permanent in nature i.e., they do not change their shape when
gently heated.
ii) They are the plastics of one-time use.
b) Electric switches / plugs, etc. -
Electric switches and plugs should maintain their shape when they
get heated up due to flow of heated current, which is possible only
in case of thermosetting plastics.
11) Which of the following plastic materials can be recycled and
which cannot be recycled ?
Ans.
a) Radio or television cabinets – No
b) Carry bags – Yes
c) Handles of cooking vessels – No
d) Electric switches and boards – No
e) Nylon rope – Yes
f) Cold drink bottles – Yes
g) Ball point pens – Yes / No
h) Telephone instruments – No
i) Plastic coated electric wires – Yes
j) Soft toys – Yes
k) Plastic chairs – No
12) You want to buy a few summer dresses. Which fabric would
you choose – cotton or nylon and why ?
Ans. Cotton dress is better in summer because it is porous, good
absorbent of sweat and comfortable to wear.
13) Give a few examples which suggest plastics are non-corrosive
in nature.
Ans. i) Food items are stored in plastics.
ii) Strong acids are stored in plastics.
iii) People use plastic gloves while dealing with corrosive
chemicals.

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