103
(^10) RUBBER
Natural rubber is an elastic
material made from latex,
a milky fluid from the
rubber tree. Synthetic
rubber is made from
petrochemicals. Rubber
is used in tyres and for
waterproofing fabrics.
(^11) NYLON
Developed in 1938, nylon
was the first synthetic
fabric. It can be produced
in extremely fine threads,
is cheap to manufacture,
and was first used as a
replacement for silk in
stockings and parachutes.
(^12) CERAMIC
Ceramic materials are made by
heating different types of clay to
a high temperature. China, bricks,
tiles, cement, and glass are all
ceramics. These materials are hard,
brittle, and resistant to heat.
(^13) WOOD
Wood is a strong material
compared to its weight, and
is a good building material.
It is also used for furniture
and art objects because of
its attractive texture. It is
referred to as hardwood or
softwood, depending on the
type of tree it comes from.
(^14) COTTON
Cotton is a natural material
produced from the long,
flexible fibres in the fluffy
seedpods of the cotton plant.
The fabric is soft, comfortable
to wear, and there is no static
build-up as there is with some
synthetic fabrics.
(^15) STONE
Stone is a natural
material quarried from
the earth. It is hard and
heavy and can withstand
great pressure. Stone may
be cut using diamond saws or
extremely high-pressure jets of water.
(^7) PLASTIC
This group of synthetic
materials is made from
petrochemicals (derived from
crude oil). They are strong,
light, cheap to make, and
can be shaped into flexible
sheets, films, or fibres.
(^8) GLASS
This transparent ceramic is made
by fusing sand, limestone, and
soda at high temperatures, or by
recycling old glass. Molten glass
can be shaped in many ways, such
as into windows, lenses, and
threads for optical fibres.
(^6) METAL
When heated, metals can be
shaped into anything from a
paperclip to an aircraft. They are
also good conductors of heat and
suitable for carrying electricity.
(^9) LYCRA
Synthetic fabrics are
designed to have better
properties than natural
materials, such as cotton.
Lycra is a stretchy fabric that
keeps its original shape, making
it perfect for sports clothes.
9
10
12
13
14
11
Wood can be
cut, carved, and
sanded into shape
Cotton fibres are
spun into threads
and then woven
into fabric
Nylon rope lasts
longer than
one made of
natural fibres
Hand-carved
granite makes
a durable
kitchen tool
(^5) CARBON COMPOSITES
These materials are strong and light
and can be turned into complex
shapes, such as sports equipment.
They are made from the
carbon byproducts
of coal, oil, and
natural gas.
15
102_103_Materials.indd 103 03/01/19 12:10 PM