Page 34 - Science Class 08
P. 34
Common Uses of Plas cs sha erproof, i.e., they do not get broken if
Nowadays, plas cs are too widely used that we dropped.
cannot imagine life without them. v Insulator : Plas cs are insulators, i.e., they
Plas cs are used to make: do not allow electricity or heat to pass
through them. That is why electric plugs
v containers to keep food materials like rice,
and sockets are made up of plas c
pulses, spices, etc. in the kitchen.
materials. The handles of utensils are also
v bo les to keep water made up of some kinds of plas cs like
v cabinet of mobile phones bakelite that do not allow heat to pass
v cabinet of refrigerators and televisions through them.
v cabinet of watches and cameras v Rust Free : Unlike iron, plas cs are free
from rus ng even when they are kept in
v packaging materials for burgers, chips,
water. That is why water supply pipes as
cakes, biscuits, meat, etc.
well as gu er pipes are now made of
v carry bags
plas cs called PVC.
v gu er pipes v Very Strong : Some kinds of plas cs are
v plugs and sockets very strong. Helmets are made of a very
v helmets and covers of electric wires strong plas c called kevlar.
v doors and window frames v Less reac ve : Most of the plas cs do not
react with many kinds of acids and other
Advantages of Using Plas cs
materials. That is why these acids are
Plas cs have became very popular because of
stored in plas c bo les.
their so many advantages.
Disadvantages of Plas cs
v Light Weight : Since plas cs are very light,
You have studied about plas cs and its
it is easy to carry them easily. Its trans-
advantages that makes it popular. But, plas c
porta on cost is also very less as compared
has also its disadvantages.
to iron or wood.
Let us study about its disadvantages:
v Water ght : Since plas cs are water ght,
we can store liquid materials in plas c v Unlike paper and wood, plas cs are non-
containers. biodegradable. This means that they cannot
be broken down by bacteria in the soil.
v Air ght : Plas cs are also air ght. That is
Therefore, plas cs have been accumula ng
why food materials are stored in plas c
on the earth, which is a great threat for the
containers.
environment.
v Flexible : Some plas cs are flexible which
v Polythene bags are such plas cs that
are used to keep shampoo, toothpaste,
cannot be broken down. That is why we
cream, etc., so that we can take out cream should not use polythene bags.
from the tube by squeezing it.
v Plas cs, if thrown into sewage pipes, can
v Sha erproof : Most of the plas cs are choke the pipes.
34 Science-8
