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Topic: How is Plastic related to organic chemistry?  (Read 12220 times)

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Offline kemified

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How is Plastic related to organic chemistry?
« on: November 27, 2008, 10:40:16 PM »
please provide a brief explanation of how it relates to organic chem and be specific to particular concepts.  ;D
thank you.
p.s can you please list any sources you use too? it'll be much appreciated

Offline ARGOS++

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Re: How is Plastic related to organic chemistry?
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2008, 02:21:55 AM »
Dear kemified;

Why not asking Wiki (Wikipedia) about “Plastic”?  - There is at least a good overview!

Good Luck!
                    ARGOS++


Offline kemified

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Re: How is Plastic related to organic chemistry?
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2008, 02:31:37 AM »
Dear kemified;

Why not asking Wiki (Wikipedia) about “Plastic”?  - There is at least a good overview!

Good Luck!
                    ARGOS++



thanks for the advice,
but I've searched almost anywhere I could find but nothing of much importance did come up.  :-\

Offline Arkcon

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Re: How is Plastic related to organic chemistry?
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2008, 09:41:48 AM »
thanks for the advice,
but I've searched almost anywhere I could find but nothing of much importance did come up.  :-\

Then you will have to develop stronger researching skills -- learn to use Google, if the first results are all commercial sources, keep checking down the page.  You can also try the library, the librarian may be able to help you.  Like ARGOS++ : said, Wikipedia will give you a decent overview, for more specific questions, that many of us can give you some help with.

You may not be able to tell, but your initial question, is so general as to be almost meaningless -- you might as well ask:  Trees, are they made of wood?  And what kinds of wood?  or Metals, how do we melt them, and why? ;D

Don't feel bad, I was once like you.  Sometime in the last millennium, a high school teacher gave each student a nation in Africa to write a report on:  National statistics, history, and current events.  Working on Kenya at the last minute, I forgot to do the part on current events, and tried to explain it away -- "there is no info on current events in Kenya that I could find", said I.  The teacher said, "Look harder, most nations have something happening, somewhere."

Your topics, plastics, and organic chemistry are not as obscure as you're saying they are.
Hey, I'm not judging.  I just like to shoot straight.  I'm a man of science.

Offline P

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Re: How is Plastic related to organic chemistry?
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2008, 04:16:06 AM »
Dear kemified,

Ask yourself "What is Organic Chemistry"?  Then ask "What is a plastic"?  Look up these two definitions and it should be clearer.
Tonight I’m going to party like it’s on sale for $19.99!

- Apu Nahasapeemapetilon

Offline Missthelab

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Re: How is Plastic related to organic chemistry?
« Reply #5 on: December 13, 2008, 04:14:47 PM »
Kemified, I agree with the suggestions given so far.  To add another hint for your research, perhaps I can recommend looking up some information on "polymers" (what is a polymer, how are polymers formed, where are polymers, formation of polymers, polymer processing, etc.).  Polymer chemistry is a sub-field of organic chemistry (sort of), so you should be able to find all the information you seek and more, if you are tenacious!

Offline Lil-lindz

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Re: How is Plastic related to organic chemistry?
« Reply #6 on: December 17, 2008, 02:01:52 PM »
please provide a brief explanation of how it relates to organic chem and be specific to particular concepts.  ;D
thank you.
p.s can you please list any sources you use too? it'll be much appreciated

Well plastics are polymers, so maybe by searching "polymers" on wikipedia or google may come up with some information
you might want to also look at how they are formed by looking at addition and condensation polymerisation, finding out the differences between the two and any bi products formed

Offline n4k

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Re: How is Plastic related to organic chemistry?
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2008, 05:22:32 AM »
Dear kemified;

Why not asking Wiki (Wikipedia) about “Plastic”?  - There is at least a good overview!

Good Luck!
                    ARGOS++


Usually began search in internet, then writen on forum
I like to synthesize various substances

Offline mahar.sean

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Re: How is Plastic related to organic chemistry?
« Reply #8 on: December 18, 2008, 11:01:02 AM »
     On a PBS show quite a few years ago, it was stated that the first plastic (sorry I can not remember its' name, possibly Bakelite?) was a mixture, besides being a fluke admixture, of formaldehyde and another chemical that escapes my memory.  This show was on over 10 years ago. 
     I would venture a assertion that the answer is related to the reverse of the question posed (How is Organic Chemistry related to Plastic).
     The answer may be - Because Plastics ?are made of organic (carbon based) polymers.  I don't want to exclude the possibility that there are polymers made of other than carbon backbones, but in early Chem they (instructors) expressed to me that Organic refers to Carbon.
     Best of skill to y'all.
          Sean.

Offline Borek

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Re: How is Plastic related to organic chemistry?
« Reply #9 on: December 18, 2008, 11:12:14 AM »
another chemical that escapes my memory

Phenol.
ChemBuddy chemical calculators - stoichiometry, pH, concentration, buffer preparation, titrations.info

Offline mahar.sean

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Re: How is Plastic related to organic chemistry?
« Reply #10 on: December 18, 2008, 01:59:14 PM »
Excellent pick-up. Thank you Sir.

Offline TWOFOUSAND

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Re: How is Plastic related to organic chemistry?
« Reply #11 on: December 26, 2008, 07:40:02 PM »
Yea organic Chemisty is related to plastics.. This is because organic chem is the  study of of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation (by synthesis or by other means) of chemical compounds consisting primarily of carbon and hydrogen, which may contain any number of other elements, including nitrogen, oxygen, the halogens as well as phosphorus, silicon and sulfur.


XD

Anyway PLastics are made up from mainly Carbon and hydrogen compounds. An example is LDPE(Low Density Polyethylene) and HDPE(High Density Polyethylene)

Both has the same chemical compound but LDPE is flexible used for plastic bags while HDPE is rigid and used for screw driver handles. This is organic chemistry because of the properties and preparation  of the materials

hope this helps

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