Question

A silk saree and a nylon saree, both of same length are put to dry under the sun. Which one will dry faster?
A) Silk saree
B) Nylon saree
C) Both will take same time
D) Depends on weather condition

Answer 1

Hint: Synthetic fabrics are dry faster than natural fabrics due to their hydrophobic nature. These fibers don't have any hollow spaces in their structure, so that the water molecules cannot enter in the single fiber of that cloth therefore we can say that synthetic fibers absorb very less water.

Complete step by step answer:
As per given Nylon and Silk saree, Nylon fabric is a synthetic textile fiber made by man without using any natural raw material. The raw materials used in manufacturing of Nylon are dicarboxylic acid and diamine. These are polyamides that can be processed into fibers. It has great strength and elasticity.
-Nylon fabrics are water resistant and quick drying. It has a higher impact resistance and hydrophobic nature. They have a very strong intermolecular force of attraction which means that it has a very small intermolecular gap and for absorption of water the gap is not large so that nylon fibers do not absorb water. The water absorption of nylon is 3.5%.
-Silk is a natural fiber and the process of making silk from silkworm is called sericulture. It has excellent luster and resiliency; Silk fabrics being protein in nature have good absorbency. The absorptive capacity of the silk fabric makes comfortable apparel even for warmer atmospheres. It can generally absorb about 11% of its weight in moisture.
-Therefore, Nylon absorbs very less water so nylon saree dries up faster than silk saree in the sun and it is not preferable to wear synthetic clothes or nylon in hot seasons.
The correct option is (B).

Note: Hydrophilic fibers readily absorb moisture without making the wearer feel uncomfortable natural fibers such as cotton and wool are hydrophilic, whereas hydrophobic fibers do not absorb moisture polyester and nylon are hydrophobic.