
Plastic - Wikipedia
Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic materials composed primarily of polymers. Their defining characteristic, plasticity, allows them to be molded, extruded, or pressed into a diverse …
Plastic | Composition, History, Uses, Types, & Facts | Britannica
Nov 19, 2025 · plastic, polymeric material that has the capability of being molded or shaped, usually by the application of heat and pressure.
Plastics: A simple introduction - Explain that Stuff
May 16, 2022 · Plastics are (mostly) synthetic (human-made) materials, made from polymers, which are long molecules built around chains of carbon atoms, typically with hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and …
About Plastic Products and Plastic Pollution | US EPA
Oct 31, 2025 · Plastic products are generally versatile, durable and lightweight. Plastic products are prominent in the construction, transportation, and packaging industries. Plastic innovations …
Plastics Explained—What You Need to Know | National Geographic
Learn what you can do to reduce your own single-use plastics, and take your pledge. The world of plastic contains many confusing terms, as we discovered while reporting on and researching the...
An Introduction to Plastics - Chemical Safety Facts
Learn about the types of plastic classification, history and unique chemistry that gives plastic its variety of uses and applications. What is Plastic? A plastic is a type of synthetic or man-made polymer that …
Plastic: Definition, Types, Properties, Applications ... - Xometry
Apr 21, 2023 · Plastic requires lots of different polymers and materials, both artificial and natural. It’s made using several raw materials, and some of them include natural gas, coal, starch, cellulose, …
Plastics - American Chemistry Council
Plastics are in products we use every day that help keep us safe. They are in bicycle helmets, child safety seats, and automotive airbags that protect us and the cell phones that connect us. Plastics …
Science of Plastics - Science History Institute
Plastics are polymers. A polymer is a substance made of many repeating units. The word polymer comes from two Greek words: poly, meaning many, and meros, meaning parts or units. A polymer …
Science 101: Plastics - Education
Oct 19, 2023 · From polymers to nurdles, learn how plastic is created and what we can do to slow the lasting repercussions this material will have on both our planet and our lives.