Question

How is plastic made is it cold and natural gas are broken down from long chains into the smaller compounds we call plastic or is it cold and natural gas or chemically broken down into small compounds that combine to foreign plastic or is it oil and natural gas are broken down from long chains into the smaller compounds we call plastic or is it oil and natural gas or chemically broken down into small compounds that combined to form plastic

Answer 1

Plastic is primarily made from natural resources like oil and natural gas. The process involves several steps, including extraction, refining, and polymerization. Here’s a simplified explanation:

1. Extraction: Oil and natural gas are extracted from the earth.

2. Refining: The crude oil is refined to separate it into different components. This process produces various hydrocarbons that can be used as feedstock for plastic production.

3. Cracking: Using a process called "cracking," the long-chain hydrocarbons from oil are broken down into smaller molecules known as monomers. In the case of plastics, common monomers include ethylene and propylene.

4. Polymerization: These monomers are chemically bonded together through a process known as polymerization, forming long chains of molecules called polymers. Different combinations and arrangements of these monomers lead to the creation of different types of plastics, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene.

Thus, to clarify your statements: it is the oil and natural gas that are broken down into smaller compounds, and these compounds are then chemically combined to form plastics.