MS-PS-1.3 - Chemistry - Synthetic Materials
Synthetic Materials
PowerPoint:
Videos:
Interactives:
The following websites can help students begin their research on their synthetic product.
Plastic Bags
- Stopwaste.org, From Oil to Plastic
- The Atlantic, What is Crude Oil, Exactly?
- How Stuff Works, Plastics
- How Stuff Works, Which is more environmentally friendly: paper or plastic?
- Canadian Plastics Industry Association, All About Bags, Paper vs. Plastic Bags
- Ecomyths Busted, Myth: Paper Bags Are Greener Than Plastic
Plastic Bottles
- American Chemistry Council, The Basics: Polymer Definition and Properties
- Thomasnet.com, Plastic Bottle Manufacturing
- Explain That Stuff!, Glass
- Environmental Impact, Environmental Impact of Glass Production
- The Vermont Juice Co., Glass vs. Plastic
- Packaging of the World, Plastic vs. Glass - Why plastic containers are better
- Washington Post, Why glass jars aren't necessarily better for the environment than plastic jars
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Eat Right, Glass Versus Plastic Containers
- Oregon Public Broadcasting, Which Is Greener? It's Not What You'd Expect
Disposable Diapers
- University of Minnesota, Diaper Choices
- Stanford Alumni, Don't Pooh- Pooh My Diaper Choice
- National Geographic, How Disposable Diapers are Made
- Appropedia, Cloth vs. Disposable Diapers
- Healthline, The Diaper Wars: Cloth vs. Disposable
Synthetic Fiber and Cloth (Polyester, Nylon, Rayon)
- ChemMatters, Nylon
- FiberSource, A Short History of Manufactured Fibers
- Explain That Stuff, Nylon
- Science360, Fabricating Fabric: Profile of Nylon
- Smithsonian, How 75 Years Ago, Nylon Stockings Changed the World
- How Products are Made, Rayon
- Textile Exchange, The Manufacturing Process of Rayon
- Chemistry Explained, Fibers
- How Stuff Works, Why is Cotton More Absorbent than Nylon?
- Quatr.us, What is Polyester?
- Sewing Parts Online, Cotton vs. Polyester
- How Stuff Compares, Cotton vs. Polyester
Kevlar
- ChemMatters, Fabric of Steel
- Explain That Stuff, Kevlar
- How Stuff Works, Stuff or Genius, Stephanie Kwolek
- Making the Modern World, Kevlar
- Science 360, Chance Discoveries, Kevlar
Artificial Sweetener
- ChemMatters, The Skinny on Sweeteners: How Do They Work?
- ChemMatters, Artificial Sweeteners
- Scientific American, Sugar vs. Artificial Sweeteners
- CNN, Real or Fake Sugar: Does it Matter?
- Discovery Communications, Seeker, Artificial Sweetener Leaves Environmental Aftertaste
- American Chemical Society, Environmental Science and Technology, Artificial Sweetener Persists in the Environment
- World Wildlife Fund, Sustainable Agriculture - Sugarcane
- Discover, The Chemistry of Artificial Sweeteners
Synthetic Rubber
- American Chemical Society, National Historic Chemical Landmarks, U.S. Synthetic Rubber Program
- Explain that Stuff, Rubber
- Akron Global Polymer Academy, A Brief History of Rubber
- Discovery Communications, How It's Made - Natural Rubber
- Discovery Communications, How It's Made - Synthetic Rubber
Synthetic Fuel
- ChemMatters, Do You Want Biodiesel with That?
- ChemMatters, Green Gasoline: Fuel from Plants
- How Stuff Works, What is a Synfuel?
- How Stuff Works, Top 8 Synthetic Fuels
- Princeton University, Synthetic Fuels Could Eliminate U.S. Need for Crude Oil
Taxol (Cancer drug)
- National Cancer Institute, Natural Compound Helps treat Breast and Ovarian Cancer
- National Cancer Institute, Success Story - Taxol
- American Chemical Society, National Historic Chemical Landmark - Discovery of Camptothecin and Taxol
- American Chemical Society, Chemical and Engineering News - Taxol