{"id":252,"date":"2023-06-11T20:08:33","date_gmt":"2023-06-11T14:38:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/?p=252"},"modified":"2024-04-03T07:20:25","modified_gmt":"2024-04-03T01:50:25","slug":"q-with-reference-to-polyethylene-terephthalate-the-use-of-which-is-so-widespread-in-our-daily-lives-consider-the-following-statements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/upsc\/q-with-reference-to-polyethylene-terephthalate-the-use-of-which-is-so-widespread-in-our-daily-lives-consider-the-following-statements","title":{"rendered":"Q. With reference to polyethylene terephthalate, the use of which is so widespread in our daily lives, consider the following statements:"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
    \n
  1. Its fibres can be blended with wool and cotton fibres to reinforce their properties.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Containers made of it can be used to store any<\/strong> alcoholic beverage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Bottles made of it can be recycled into other products.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Articles made of it can be easily disposed of by incineration without <\/strong>causing greenhouse gas emissions.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Which of the statements given above are correct?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • 1 and 3<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • 2 and 4<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • 1 and 4<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • 2 and 3<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
      \n

      Answer: (a) 1 and 3<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

      Notes:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      • Polyethylene terephthalate<\/strong> is a condensation polymer of ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • It is a thermoplastic synthetic substance,<\/strong> malleable under heat, and can be placed into nearly any shape known mostly for its short PET form.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Terephthalate polyethylene (PET) is very moisture tolerant.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Polyethylene terephthalate has outstanding chemical resistance to organic matter and water,<\/strong> it is not biodegradable.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • A list of uses of polyethylene terephthalate<\/strong>\u00a0is given below.\n
          \n
        • For the manufacturing of shopping bags, water bottles, videotapes, containers and bags, clothes and housing material, water bottles, microwave containers, packaging films, etc.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Polyester for fabrics is strong and flexible<\/strong>, and when combined with materials like cotton can reduce wrinkling, and shrinking, and makes the fabric more resistant to tears.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Advantages of Polyethylene terephthalate<\/strong>\n
            \n
          • It is readily available and relatively inexpensive.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • It has a high strength-to-weight ratio.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • It is very resistant to moisture.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • It has excellent chemical resistance<\/strong> to organic material and water (it is not biodegradable<\/strong> which is good and bad depending on your perspective and its intended use).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • It is virtually shatterproof (it won\u2019t break like glass packaging).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • It is easily recycled.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • It can be reused by conducting a series of washing processes or broken down<\/strong> into its constituent raw materials which can then be turned into the original resin.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • It is highly transparent.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • PET consists only of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen,<\/strong> so if it is burned in the air (or in pure oxygen), the combustion products will be carbon dioxide and water.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n