Plastic
Plastic
Plastic (pronunciation: /ˈplastɪk/) is a material consisting of any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic compounds that are malleable and can be molded into solid objects.
Etymology
The word "plastic" originated from the Greek word "plastikos", which means "capable of being shaped or molded".
Definition
Plastics are typically organic polymers of high molecular mass and often contain other substances. They are usually synthetic, most commonly derived from petrochemicals, but many are partially natural.
Types of Plastic
There are two main types of plastic:
- Thermoplastics - These are plastics that can be heated and reshaped multiple times.
- Thermosetting polymers - These are plastics that are set into a permanent shape and cannot be reheated or reshaped.
Related Terms
- Polymer - A large molecule, or macromolecule, composed of many repeated subunits.
- Petrochemicals - Chemical products derived from petroleum.
- Bioplastics - A type of plastic derived from renewable biomass sources, such as vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, straw, woodchips, food waste, etc.
- Polystyrene - A synthetic aromatic hydrocarbon polymer made from the monomer known as styrene.
- Polyethylene - The most common plastic, with over 100 million tonnes produced annually.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Plastic
- Wikipedia's article - Plastic
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