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Prisms are typically made out of glass, but can be made from any material that is transparent to the wavelengths for which they are designed. They can be made from a polymeric material. You can make a prism out of any number of materials, including some polymers. Usually prisms are made out of glass, but some are plastic or polymers. Using plastic will make them both lighter and less susceptible to breaking than glass ones. See the Web Links to the left of this answer for more about prisms.

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17y ago
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16y ago

Glass and polymers differ in chemical content and structure. And that means their properties will vary. Glass is generally pretty rigid stuff while polymer plastics have a range of toughness. The thumbnail sketch of the chemistry of polymer plastics is that they are mostly molecular chains ranging in size from big to really big. They are constructed from linked monomers, with a basic link repeating and repeating. And as complex as are the shapes of the molecules, the way a large group of them behaves brings both variety and usefulness to polymer plastics. Plastics tend to be, well, plastic, meaning that they can be bent and twisted and such. Plastics is a big field. Really big. Plastic polymers have been around for about a hundred years, and it'd take a week to count the numbers of "flavors" of the stuff 'cause there are so many. It's a safe bet that none of us is living without polymer plastics. Glass, on the other hand is mostly silica, or, if you like, silicon dioxide. Think sand. It's simple, straightforward and has been known for centuries. Yes, there are some types of glass that are not silicated, but almost all of the stuff we commonly encounter is "regular" glass. It's amorphous structure makes it more brittle than most plastics, and we're all pretty familiar with the properties of glass. Lastly, polymer plastics were covered here to compare them to glass. Polymers are a larger group of things than just plastics (which is large in and of itself). The polymers include tons of biochemical stuff like proteins and DNA. Glass is simple SiO2 or fused sand. Hit the links and check things out over at Wikipedia. Just reading the first paragraph or two of each article should pretty much lock it in.

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16y ago

Polymers are long chain molecules made up of repeating units of the same type. Although thermoplastics are an example of a polymer there are others such as rubber, amber and proteins. See Wikipedia link below for lots more information on polymers.

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13y ago

yes they are.

Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce costs. Monomers of Plastic are either natural or synthetic organic compounds.

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14y ago

Metals are magnetic, most plastics are not. Metals are stuff that is dug up from the ground and processed only until the metal is separated from everything else, Plastics are highly processed range of stuff that is made from Oil products. If metals are recycled then they will stay metal, if plastics can be recycled then they can become a wide range of things

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9y ago

Essentially, a polymer is any substance whose molecules are made from very large numbers of identical repeating units. "Plastic" is a generic term often used to describe polymers that have "plastic" properties (i.e. they are able to be moulded, shaped or formed relatively easily).

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12y ago

Plastic is a classification of polymers ..all plastics are polymers bot all polymers are not plastics ex rubber ("polymer).

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13y ago

metal are cool polymers are not

Polymers are plastics.

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14y ago

Plastics are manmade, so they don't have carbon compounds like polysaccharides, but they are both polymers.

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Q: Why are plastics called polymers?
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What are most modern plastics made from?

Most modern plastics are made from synthetic polymers derived from petrochemicals. The most common types of plastics include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polystyrene. These plastics are created through processes like polymerization, where smaller molecules called monomers are linked together to form long chains of polymers.


What are the building blocks of plastics called?

The building blocks of plastics are called monomers. These are small molecules that can join together to form long chains known as polymers through a process called polymerization.


How are plastics similar to polysaccharides?

Plastics and polysaccharides are both made up of repeating units. Plastics are synthetic polymers derived from petrochemicals, while polysaccharides are natural polymers composed of sugar units. Both materials can have varying structures and properties based on the specific arrangement of their repeating units.


What are thermosettings and therosoftening polymers?

Polymers are plastic. Thermosoftening is hard when it is cold and flexible when it is warm. Thermosetting is flexible when cold and hard when hotThermosetting plastics are polymers that, once heated, melted and moulded, cannot be re-moulded as the bond between their molecules are too strong. Thermosoftening plastics are polymers which can be re-moulded many times as the bonds between the molecules are very weak. Thermosetting plastics can only be shaped once. Thermosoftening plastics can be shaped and re-shaped many times. :) hope this is helpful x


What is the purpose of polymers?

Polymers serve a variety of purposes, including being used as materials for manufacturing plastics, fibers, rubber, and adhesives. They are also essential in industries like healthcare, construction, and electronics for applications such as drug delivery, insulation, and circuitry. Additionally, polymers can be designed with specific properties to meet diverse needs, making them versatile and valuable materials.

Related questions

What are the differences between polymers and plastics?

Polymers are large molecules made up of repeating units, while plastics are a type of polymer that can be molded into various shapes. Not all polymers are plastics, but all plastics are polymers. Plastics are a subset of polymers that have additional properties, such as being lightweight, durable, and easily molded.


Is plastic a polymer?

Yes, plastic is typically made from polymers. Polymers are long chains of repeating molecules, and plastics are derived from these long chains. The properties of plastics can vary depending on the specific type of polymer used in their production.


What is the scientific term for plastics?

The scientific term for plastics is polymers.


Why do the names of so many plastics start with p?

Because plasitc have a basic structure they can be put into groups. plastics are made up of oil extracts and cemical compounds. the real anwser is plastics contain things called "polymers" with makes the "p" in their names.hope this help you guys out. :D


How do nanocomposite polymers differ from ordinary plastics?

no


What are the uses of polymers to mankind?

Plastics, which are polymers plus some additives, are their main use.


What do people often mistakenly use for polymoers?

People often mistakenly use the terms "plastic" and "polymers" interchangeably. While all plastics are polymers, not all polymers are plastics. Polymers can also include materials like rubber, proteins, and even DNA.


What they are called when large molecules are formed by monomers?

Large molecules formed by monomers are called polymers. Polymers are made up of repeating units of smaller molecules (monomers) linked together in a chain. Examples of polymers include proteins, DNA, and plastics.


What are most modern plastics made from?

Most modern plastics are made from synthetic polymers derived from petrochemicals. The most common types of plastics include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polystyrene. These plastics are created through processes like polymerization, where smaller molecules called monomers are linked together to form long chains of polymers.


How do polymers help to make plastic?

Plastics are made of polymers (or am I somehow missing a deeper question here?)


What are most plastics made from?

Most plastics are made from synthetic polymers derived from petrochemicals, such as crude oil and natural gas. These polymers are formed through a process called polymerization, in which small monomer molecules are chemically bonded together to form long chains. The most common types of plastics include polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).


What are the building blocks of plastics called?

The building blocks of plastics are called monomers. These are small molecules that can join together to form long chains known as polymers through a process called polymerization.