Introduction to Plastics

Which sequence best represents the industrial process of obtaining plastics from raw materials?

• Polymerization → Monomer synthesis → Heating to form → Adding additives → Making pellets

• Obtaining raw materials → Synthesizing monomers → Linking monomers (polymerization) → Making pellets → Adding additives → Heating to shape

• Synthesizing monomers → Obtaining raw materials → Heating to shape → Making pellets → Adding additives → Polymerization

• Obtaining raw materials → Heating to shape → Making pellets → Adding additives → Polymerization → Synthesizing monomers

Which statement best describes polymerization as depicted in the diagram showing a reactor, solvent, catalyst, and downstream units?

• A monomer reacts with solvent alone at ambient conditions to produce metals.

• Monomers are linked into macromolecules in a reactor with a solvent and a catalyst under specific pressure and temperature.

• Polymers are broken down into monomers by adding water and cooling in the reactor.

• The process only involves physical mixing of monomers without any chemical reaction.

Which fossil fuel-based process most directly explains how plastics originate according to the carbon cycle context:

• Polymerization of hydrocarbons derived from oil and natural gas

• Direct molding of mineral coal into plastic forms

• Photosynthesis of plants creating ready-made plastic polymers

• Solidification of atmospheric carbon dioxide into plastic granules

Which step in the process of obtaining plastics involves combining monomers into long-chain molecules to form the base polymer?

• Raw material acquisition

• Monomer synthesis

• Polymerization

• Pellet making

• Shaping

A manufacturer wants bottles that can be reheated and reshaped multiple times during production. At which stage would selecting thermoplastics be most relevant, and why?

• Raw material acquisition, because crude oil choice alone determines recyclability

• Monomer synthesis, because monomers cannot be altered after creation

• Polymerization, because crosslinking makes them permanently rigid

• Pellet making, because pellets allow repeated melting and moulding

• Additives, because plasticizers are the only way to allow reshaping

Which statement best summarizes the origin of most plastics according to the review content?

• They are mined as solid minerals.

• They are synthesized from fossil fuels formed over millions of years from ancient living matter.

• They are harvested from fast-growing plants.

• They are created directly from atmospheric carbon dioxide without intermediates.

Which set lists the primary fossil fuels connected to plastic production?

• Oil, coal, natural gas

• Oil, biomass, wind

• Coal, uranium, sunlight

• Natural gas, geothermal steam, oil shale

In the carbon cycle diagram context, what role do fossil fuels play?

• They immediately remove carbon from the atmosphere forever.

• They store ancient carbon that can be released when extracted and used.

• They convert nitrogen into carbon.

• They prevent polymerization reactions.

Which process directly links fossil-fuel-derived monomers to plastics?

• Crystallization

• Polymer formation (polymerization)

• Photosynthesis

• Electroplating

Which statement aligns with the time scale emphasized in the review for forming fossil fuels?

• A few decades of decay are sufficient.

• They form over millions of years from ancient biomass.

• They are produced seasonally from plant litter.

• They are generated instantly during earthquakes.