1. Polymer Laboratory Mrs. Brostrom Integrated Science

2. Plastics Plastics are not created equal because they are meant for different purposes o Protecting clothing o Storing food o Carrying groceries

3. Plastic bags are made from… high-density polyethylene (HDPE) o grocery bags are HDPE low-density polyethylene (LDPE) o garment bags from the dry cleaner are LDPE linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) o thick, glossy shopping bags from the mall are LLDPE The major difference between these three materials is the degree of branching of the polymer chain.

4. Shopping bags Plastic wrap Dry cleaning bag Sandwich bag

5. Your Task Design and conduct an experiment testing the physical properties of different types of plastic You may choose between o Puncture resistance o Tensile strength o Abrasion reistance

6. Physical Properties of Plastics HDPE and LLDPE are composed of linear chains LDPE chains are branched o Branching can influence a number of physical properties including tensile strength o The more branched a molecule is, the lower is its tensile strength (dry cleaning bag)