Plastic
Plastic materials consist largely of synthetic or modified natural polymers. This topic is part of Materials within Science & Nature. This page currently draws on 23 supporting questions, with answers and bonus facts available below.
Plastic trivia questions
Most plastics are made from long-chain molecules called what?
Answer: Polymers
Bonus fact: Plastic materials consist largely of synthetic or modified natural polymers.
What plastic is commonly abbreviated PET and widely used for beverage bottles?
Answer: Polyethylene terephthalate
Bonus fact: PET is strong, lightweight, and widely recyclable.
What process shapes softened plastic by forcing it through a die continuously?
Answer: Extrusion
Bonus fact: Extrusion is used to make items such as pipes, films, and profiles.
Plexiglas is a familiar name for a transparent plastic commonly known as what?
Answer: Acrylic
Bonus fact: Plexiglas is associated with polymethyl methacrylate, a transparent acrylic plastic.
What does the plastic abbreviation PMMA stand for?
Answer: Polymethyl methacrylate
Bonus fact: PMMA is the polymer commonly used in many products described as acrylic glass.
What small metal or plastic disk is pressed to activate many electronic controls?
Answer: Push-button
Bonus fact: Push-buttons operate switches in devices ranging from doorbells to control panels.
What very fine-grained sedimentary material becomes plastic and moldable when mixed with water?
Answer: Clay
Bonus fact: Clay particles are extremely small and can hold water between their mineral layers.
The modern plastic hula hoop became a huge fad in what decade?
Answer: 1950s
Bonus fact: Wham-O popularized the toy in 1958.
Plastic pollution is the buildup of discarded what?
Answer: Plastic
Bonus fact: Plastic waste persists for long periods.
Why can plastic pollution harm marine animals?
Answer: Animals may ingest it or become entangled
Bonus fact: Plastic debris can injure or kill wildlife.
What property makes many plastics persist in ecosystems?
Answer: They degrade very slowly
Bonus fact: Sunlight and abrasion often fragment rather than fully mineralize plastic.
Microplastics can form when larger plastic items do what?
Answer: Break down into fragments
Bonus fact: Weathering and abrasion fragment plastic waste.