Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Plastic

Advantages  of Using Plastics

Plastic is non reactive

1. Plastic do not react with Air and Water
   Example - Chairs and buckets are made up of plastics
2. Plastic do not react with chemicals like acid and base(resist corrosion)
   Example - Chemicals used at home for cleansing are kept in plastic bottles instead of metal containers

Plastic is light,strong and durable

Plastics are light in weight,easily available,good in strength and long lasting(durable)

Example-Plastic containers are used for storing food,water,pickles and soft drinks.

Plastic is lighter than metals so they are also used in Aircrafts and Cars

Plastics are poor conductors of electricity

They do not allow electricity to pass through them.

Example-

1. Electric wires have plastic covering to protect us from electric current
2. Screwdriver used by the electricians are also made of plastics
3. Electric switches,plugs and sockets have plastic covers

Plastics are poor conductors of heat 

They do not allow heat to reach our hands

Example-

1. Handles of cooking utensils are made of plastic so that we can hold the hot utensil easily
2. Some plastics are also used to make microwave safe utensil.On heating of microwave,the food gets heated  but the utensil is not affected

Non Sticky

Oil and Water do not stick on a plastic called Teflon,So Teflon coating is used in utensils

FireProof

Melamine Plastics do not catch fire easily

So they are used to make uniform of fireman which makes them flame resistant

Disadvantages of Using Plastics

Plastics are Non Biodegradable

They do not get easily decomposed by natural processes

They take hundreds of years to decompose

Burning of Plastics cause air pollution

The burning process in the synthetic material is quite slow and it does not get completely burnt easily.

On burning, lots of poisonous gas is released which is harmful to environment

Plastic Bags are Harmful for Animals

Polythene Bags are thrown in garbage

Animals like Cow look for food in garbage

They accidentally swallow(eat) plastic which  chokes their respiratory system(lungs)

Questions

NCERT Question 5 -  Explain why plastic containers are favoured for storing food.

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NCERT Question 10 - Give examples to show that plastics are non corrosive in nature.

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NCERT Question 12 - Avoid plastics as far as possible’. Comment on this advice

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NCERT Question 13 - Match the terms of column I correctly with the phrases given in column II

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