WorksheetsUnderstanding Plastics and Polymers
Total questions: 15
Worksheet time: 8mins
What is the origin of the word 'polymer'?
Latin
Greek
French
German
What are plastics primarily derived from?
Wood
Oil or petroleum
Water
Metal
Which of the following is a naturally occurring plastic?
Nylon
Amber
Polyester
Polyethylene
What is latex a form of?
Metal
Glass
Rubber
Plastic
What are some biodegradable plastics commonly made from?
Corn or vegetable starches
Metal alloys
Glass fibres
Synthetic fibres
What is required for biodegradable plastics to break down quickly?
High temperatures
Composting
Freezing
Sunlight
Why can't biodegradable plastics be recycled in a traditional way?
They are too strong
They decompose too quickly
They are too expensive
They are too heavy
What are synthetic plastics made from?
Natural fibres
Polymers from petrochemical resources
Plant extracts
Animal fats
Which of the following is a finite resource used to make synthetic plastics?
Solar energy
Crude oil
Wind energy
Geothermal energy
Besides crude oil, what other resources can plastics be derived from?
Sand and clay
Natural gas and coal
Wood and paper
Water and air
What does the prefix 'poly' in 'polymer' mean?
One
Many
Few
None
What does the suffix 'mer' in 'polymer' mean?
Whole
Part
End
Start
Which of the following is NOT a source of synthetic plastics?
Crude oil
Natural gas
Coal
Amber
What is the main environmental benefit of biodegradable plastics?
They are cheaper to produce
They break down quickly in soil
They are stronger than synthetic plastics
They are more colourful
Which of the following is NOT true about biodegradable plastics?
They can be composted
They are made from corn or vegetable starches
They can be recycled traditionally
Bacteria in the soil can break them down
