Natural vs. Synthetic

What’s the difference? Natural means it came directly from nature Synthetic means that a human made it

Natural vs. Synthetic Fabric or “Textiles”

More about natural and synthetic fibers

Fabrics and Textiles used for clothing, shoes, raingear, tents, camping gear, parachutes, ropes, fishing nets NATURAL: silk, cotton, linen, wool SYNTHETIC: rayon, polyester, spandex, nylon, lycra Made from animal fur or plant materials Made from chemicals Plastic (petroleum)

NATURAL: silk, cotton, linen, wool Moisture-wicking wool Nontoxic Breathable Insulating Expensive to produce Use up natural resources Shrink when you wash them Wear out quickly Wrinkle easily

SYNTHETIC: rayon, polyester, spandex, nylon, lycra Light-weight Slippery feel Water-resistant Durable/strong Cheaper to produce Made from chemicals Production can cause pollution Not biodegradable/recyclable

Natural vs. Synthetic Vitamines

Insulin is a medicine that can be made naturally or synthetically Helps us use the sugar from the foods we eat Some people can’t make insulin, so they have to inject it or take a pill Treats Diabetes Can get it from pigs, but it’s also made synthetically in a lab Natural Insulin Molecule Synthetic Insulin Molecule

What about artificial water? Is it safe to drink? Artificial means it was made in a lab, so if we put two hydrogen atoms and an oxygen atom together in a lab and got water, it would be ARTIFICIAL water. What would be the main difference in artificial and natural water? Just the way it was made. It still has the same atoms…it’s the same molecule.

IMPORTANT THING!! WRITE THIS DOWN!! If a synthetic material has the same chemical structure as a naturally occurring material, they have the same properties. The only difference in natural and synthetic medicine is the process used to make them.

Foxglove Flower Poisonous if eaten fresh. Digitalis is a medicine that is made from this poisonous flower. Treats heart failure by making the heart pump harder which improves circulation.

Natural vs. Synthetic Vanilla Flavoring

Natural vs. Synthetic Diamonds