STUDENT SHEET 1b

Plastic card sort

Thermosetting plastic or thermoplastic?

Cut out and arrange these cards into 2
categories:

thermosetting plastics thermoplastics

Epoxy resin
(ER)

This is used to make circuit

boards because it is good
insulator of electricity. Very
Hard and brittle.

Polyester resin Polyamide Phenol formaldehyde

(PR) (Nylon) (PF)

Used to make the bodies of This is used to make This is used in appliance
fast cars and boats. This is clothes. It is hard wearing fittings, such as handles of
very stiff and brittle. but flexible. pans. Very hard.

Ocean Plastics 11-14 Science 16 Copyright 2019

Encounter Edu and Common Seas This resource may be reproduced
for educational purposes only
STUDENT SHEET 1b
Polyethylene
(PET)
Most used plastic. This
material makes bags and
bottles. It is light weight
and easily recyclable.
Melamine Formaldehyde
(PR)
This material makes
greenhouses. It is high
impact resistant and
transparent. Unusually
strong for the group of
plastics which it belongs to.
Ocean Plastics 11-14 Science
Encounter Edu and Common Seas
Polypropylene Polycarbonate
(PP) (PC)
Second most commonly This is used to make kitchen
used plastic. Used to make work surfaces. Very strong
packaging. Light weight and hard.
and flexible.
Urea Formaldehyde High Impact Polystyrene
(UF) (HIP)
This is used to make This material makes sale
electrical components signs and trays. Very rigid
because it is a good and strong for the group of
insulator. Very hard and plastics which it belongs.
brittle.
17 Copyright 2019
This resource may be reproduced
for educational purposes only