Question

What is the difference between plastic and polymer?

Answer 1

Hint: The process of combining more monomers to convert them into polymers is known as polymerisation. We can say that all plastics are polymers but all polymers are not considered plastics. Polymers can exist naturally in nature but plastics are man-made materials.

Complete step by step answer:
When many molecules of a compound are passed over high temperature, high pressure, and in the presence of a suitable catalyst then a product is formed which is known as a polymer.
Polymers contain a chain of monomers that are joined together and they can exist organically or can be created synthetically whereas plastic is formed by the chain of polymers which can be organic or synthetic both.
Synthetic polymers can be classified into various types which are as follows.
The first one is Elastomers. The Elastomer is the kind of polymer that has the weakest force of attraction between the chain of the polymer so that these can be stretched up to ten times of its original length. Examples are- Buna-S, Buna-N, and Neoprene.
The second one is Thermoplastic. These are the kind of polymer that becomes soft on heating and hard on cooling so that they can be converted into any desired shape. Thermoplastic can melt but it can’t be burned.
The third kind of polymer is fiber. These are the kind of polymer that have the strongest force of attraction between them so that they cannot be stretched.
Plastics can be classified into two types- thermoset plastics and thermoplastics.
Thermoset plastics are the kind of plastics that are heated hard to give them a permanent design. They remain in the fixed form once they are shaped. When thermosets are exposed to extreme temperatures then they get burnt instead of melting.
Thermoplastics are the kind of plastics that can be reheated or reshaped. When they are exposed to extreme heat then they get burned.

Note:
 There are two different methods of polymerization by which a monomer can be converted into a polymer. The first one is additional polymerization and the second one is condensation polymerization. Examples of polymers are adhesive, lubricants, plastic goods, etc. Examples of plastics are PVC, BPA, etc.