REACHING THE AGE OF ADOLESCENCE

I
n the previous chapter, you have no longer a child but are on the way to
learnt how animals reproduce. It is becoming an adult.
only after ‘growing up’ to a certain
age that human beings and many other
animals can reproduce. Why can I wonder how long this
humans reproduce only after a certain period marked by changes
age? in the body will last!
In this chapter, you will learn about
changes that take place in the human
body after which a person becomes
capable of reproduction. It is a strange period of life
In Chapter 9, you have learnt about when you are neither a child nor
human reproductive organs. Here, we an adult. I wonder whether this
shall discuss the role that hormones play period between childhood and
in bringing about changes that make a adulthood had a special name!
child grow into an adult.
Growing up is a natural process. The
10.1 Adolescence and Puberty period of life, when the body undergoes
changes, leading to reproductive
Boojho was celebrating his 12th
maturity, is called adolescence.
birthday. After his friends left, Boojho
Adolescence begins around the age of
and Paheli began chatting with their
11 and lasts upto 18 or 19 years of age.
parents. Paheli studies in an all-girls
Since this period covers the ‘teens’ (13
school. She started laughing. She
to 18 or 19 years of age), adolescents
remarked that many of Boojho’s school are also called ‘teenagers’. In girls,
friends, whom she met after a year, had adolescence may begin a year or two
suddenly shot up in height. Some of earlier than in boys. Also, the period of
them were looking very funny with a adolescence varies from person to person.
hairy line above their lips. Her mother The human body undergoes several
explained that the boys had grown up. changes during adolescence. These
Growth begins from the day one is changes mark the onset of puberty. The
born. But upon crossing the age of 10 most important change which marks
or 11, there is a sudden spurt in growth puberty is that boys and girls become
which becomes noticeable. The changes capable of reproduction. Puberty ends
taking place in the body are part of when an adolescent reaches reproductive
growing up. They indicate that you are maturity.

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 the tallest and who might be the
shortest in your class.
Paheli and Boojho
realised that sudden
Age in % of full height
increase in height and
hairy line above the lips Years Boys Girls
in boys were signs of
adolescence. They 8 72% 77%
wanted to know more
about other changes at 9 75% 81%
puberty.
10 78% 84%

11 81% 88%

12 84% 91%
10.2 Changes at Puberty
13 88% 95%
Increase in Height
The most conspicuous change during 14 92% 98%
puberty is the sudden increase in 15 95% 99%
height. At this time the long bones, that
is, the bones of the arms and the legs 16 98% 99.5%
elongate and make a person tall.
17 99% 100%
Activity 10.1
18 100% 100%
The following chart gives the
average rate of growth in height of
boys and girls with age. The figures
in columns 2 and 3, give the Calculation for full height (cm)
percentage of the height a person Present height (cm)
has reached at the age given in × 100
% of full height at this age
column 1. For example, by the age (as given in the chart)
11, a boy has reached 81% of his
probable full height, while a girl Example:
has reached 88% of her full
height. These figures are only A boy is 9 years old and 120 cm
representative and there may be tall. At the end of the growth period
individual variations. he is likely to be
Use the Table for your friends
and work out how tall they are likely 120
× 100 cm = 160 cm tall
to be. Find out who is likely to be 75

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Activity 10.2 There is no need for Paheli to worry.
All parts of the body do not grow at the
Use the data given in Activity 10.1 same rate. Sometimes the arms and legs
to draw a graph. Take age on the X-
or hands and feet of adolescents look
axis and per cent growth in height
oversized and out of proportion with the
on the Y-axis. Highlight the point
body. But soon the other parts catch
representing your age on the graph.
up and result in a proportionate body.
Find out the percentage of height
you have already reached. Calculate You must have noticed that height
the height you might eventually of an individual is more or less similar
reach. Tally your graph with the one to that of some family member. This is
given here (Fig. 10.1). because height depends on the genes
inherited from parents. It is, however,
very important to eat the right kind of
food during these growing years. This
helps the bones, muscles and other
parts of the body get adequate
nourishment for growth. You will find
nutritional needs of adolescents
discussed later in the lesson.

Change in Body Shape

Have you noticed that boys in your class
have broader shoulders and wider chests
than boys in junior classes? This is
Fig. 10.1 : Graph showing percentage of height because they have entered the age of
with age puberty when shoulders generally
broaden as a result of growth. In girls,
Initially, girls grow faster than boys the region below the waist becomes
but by about 18 years of age, both reach wider.
their maximum height. The rate of In boys, the muscles of the body grow
growth in height varies in different more prominently than in the girls.
individuals. Some may grow suddenly
Thus, changes occurring in adolescent
at puberty and then slow down, while
boys and girls are different.
others may grow gradually.
Voice Change
Did you notice that sometimes the voice
of some of the boys in your class cracks?
I am worried. Though I
At puberty, the voice box or the larynx
have become taller, my
begins to grow. Boys develop larger voice
face looks much smaller
compared to my body. boxes. The growing voice box in boys can
be seen as a protruding part of the throat
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called Adam’s apple (Fig. 10.2). In girls, and pimples on the face at this time
the larynx is hardly visible from the because of the increased activity of these
outside because of its small size. glands in the skin.
Generally, girls have a high pitched voice,
whereas boys have a deep voice. In Development of Sex Organs
adolescent boys, sometimes, the muscles Look up Fig. 9.1 and 9.3 of the
of the growing voice box go out of control previous lesson which show sex
and the voice becomes hoarse. This state organs of humans. At puberty, male
may remain for a few days or weeks after sex organs like the testes and penis
which the voice becomes normal. develop completely. The testes also
begin to produce sperms. In girls, the
ovaries enlarge and eggs begin to
Adam’s mature. Also ovaries start releasing
apple mature eggs.

Reaching Mental, Intellectual and

Emotional Maturity
Adolescence is also a period of change
in a person’s way of thinking.
Adolescents are more independent than
before and are also self conscious.
Intellectual development takes place and
Fig. 10.2 : Adam’s apple in a grown up boy
they tend to spend considerable time
thinking. In fact, it is often the time in
one’s life when the brain has the
greatest capacity for learning.
Many of my classmates Sometimes, however, an adolescent may
have a hoarse voice. Now I feel insecure while trying to adjust to
know why? the changes in the body and mind. But
as adolescent learners, you should know
Increased Activity of Sweat and
that there is no reason to feel insecure.
Sebaceous Glands
These changes are a natural part of
During puberty the secretion of sweat growing up.
glands and sebaceous glands (oil glands)
increases. Many young people get acne 10.3 Secondary Sexual
A few glands such as sweat glands,
Characters
oil glands and salivary glands release You have learnt in Chapter 9, that
their secretions through ducts. testes and ovaries are the reproductive
Endocrine glands release hormones organs. They produce the gametes,
directly into the bloodstream. So, they that is, sperms and ova. In girls,
are also termed ductless glands.
breasts begin to develop at puberty
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and boys begin to grow facial hair, that The testes and ovaries secrete sex
is, moustaches and beard. As these hormones. You have just learnt that
features help to distinguish the male these hormones are responsible for the
from the female they are called male and female secondary sexual
secondary sexual characters. Boys characters. Further, the sex hormones
also develop hair on their chest. In are under the control of hormones from
both, boys and girls, hair grows under the pituitary gland (Fig. 10.3). The
the arms and in the region above the pituitary secretes many hormones, one
thighs or the pubic region. of which makes ova mature in the
ovaries and sperms form in the testes.
Both Boojho and Paheli wish to know
what initiates changes at puberty.

The changes which occur at

adolescence are controlled by
hormones. Hormones are chemical
substances. These are secretions from
endocrine glands, or endocrine system.
The male hormone or testosterone
begins to be released by the testes at
the onset of puberty. This causes
changes in boys about which you have
just learnt, for example, the growth of
facial hair. Once puberty is reached in
girls, ovaries begin to produce the female
hormone or estrogen which makes the
breasts develop. Milk secreting glands
or mammary glands develop inside the
breasts. The production of these
hormones is under the control of
another hormone secreted from an
endocrine gland called pituitary gland.
Fig. 10.3 : The onset of puberty is controlled by
10.4 Role of Hormones in hormones
Initiating Reproductive
Function
Paheli and Boojho have now
Endocrine glands release hormones understood that puberty marks the
into the bloodstream to reach a beginning of the reproductive period
particular body part called target site. when one becomes capable of
The target site responds to the reproduction. But they want to know
hormone. There are many endocrine if reproductive life, once begun,
glands or ductless glands in the body. continues, or it ends some time.

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10.5 Reproductive Phase of Menstrual cycle is controlled by
Life in Humans hormones. The cycle includes the
maturation of the egg, its release,
Adolescents become capable of thickening of uterine wall and its
reproduction when their testes and breakdown if pregnancy does not
ovaries begin to produce gametes. The occur. In case the egg is fertilised it
capacity for maturation and production begins to divide and then gets
of gametes lasts for a much longer time embedded in the uterus for further
in males than in females. development as you have learnt in
In females, the reproductive phase of Chapter 9 (Fig. 9.8).
life begins at puberty (10 to 12 years of
age) and generally lasts till the age of 10.6 How is the Sex of the
approximately 45 to 50 years. The ova Baby Determined?
begin to mature with the onset of
puberty. One ovum matures and is
released by one of the ovaries once in
about 28 to 30 days. During this I heard my mother and my
period, the wall of the uterus becomes aunt talking about my cousin
thick so as to receive the egg, in case who is going to have a baby.
it is fertilised and begins to develop. They were discussing whether
This results in pregnancy. If she would give birth to a boy
fertilisation does not occur, the or a girl. I wonder what makes
released egg, and the thickened lining the fertilised egg develop
either into a boy or a girl!
of the uterus along with its blood
vessels are shed off. This causes
Boy or Girl?
bleeding in women which is called
menstruation. Menstruation occurs Inside the fertilised egg or zygote is the
once in about 28 to 30 days. The first instruction for determining the sex of
menstrual flow begins at puberty and the baby. This instruction is present in
is termed menarche. At 45 to 50 years the thread-like structures, called
of age, the menstrual cycle stops. chromosomes in the fertilised egg.
Stoppage of menstruation is termed Recall from Chapter 8, that
menopause. Initially, menstrual cycle chromosomes are present inside the
may be irregular. It take some time to nucleus of every cell. All human beings
become regular. have 23 pairs of chromosomes in the
nuclei of their cells. Two chromosomes
out of these are the sex chromosomes,
named X and Y. A female has two X
Paheli says that the chromosomes, while a male has one X
reproductive life of a and one Y chromosome. The gametes
woman lasts from (egg and sperm) have only one set of
menarche to menopause. chromosomes. The unfertilised egg
Is she right?
always has one X chromosome. But
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sperms are of two kinds. One kind has and ovaries to produce their hormones.
an X chromosome, and the other kind You have alr eady learnt that the
has a Y chromosome. pituitary gland is an endocrine gland.
See Fig. 10.4. When a sperm It is attached to the brain.
containing X chromosome fertilises the Apart from the pituitary, the testes
egg, the zygote would have two X and the ovaries, there are other
chromosomes and develop into a female endocrine glands in the body such as
child. If the sperm contributes a Y thyroid, pancreas and adrenals
chromosome to the egg (ovum) at (Fig. 10.5).
fertilisation, the zygote would develop
into a male child.
sperms pituitary
gland

thyroid gland

adrenal
gland

eggs
pancreas

position of
the ovary in
the female

boy girl testis

Fig. 10.4 : Sex determination in humans

Now you know that the sex

chromosomes of the father determine the Fig. 10.5 : Position of endocrine glands in the
sex of an unborn baby. The belief that human body
the mother is responsible for the sex of
Boojho and Paheli had once visited
her baby is completely wrong and to
their aunt who was a doctor and
blame her for this is totally unjustified.
remembered that a boy named Kaka had
10.7 Hormones other than a very big and bulging throat. Their aunt
had told them that Kaka was suffering
Sex Hormones from ‘goitre’, a disease of the thyroid
Look at Fig. 10.3 again. The hormones gland. Kaka’s thyroid gland was not
secreted by the pituitary stimulate testes producing the hormone thyroxine.
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Their aunt also told them that their This change from larva to adult is
uncle was suffering from ‘diabetes’ called metamorphosis (Fig. 9.10).
because his pancreas was not producing Metamorphosis in insects is controlled
the hormone insulin in sufficient by insect hormones. In a frog, it is
quantities. Boojho and Paheli then controlled by thyroxine, the hormone
asked their aunt about the adrenal produced by thyroid. Thyroxine
glands, which are also shown in the production requires the presence of
chart hung on the wall of her clinic. The iodine in water. If the water in which
aunt told them that adrenal glands the tadpoles are growing does not
secrete hormones which maintain the contain sufficient iodine, the tadpoles
correct salt balance in the blood. cannot become adults.
Adrenals also produce the hormone
adrenalin. It helps the body to adjust
to stress when one is very angry, If people do not have
embarrassed or worried. enough iodine in their diet,
Thyroid and adrenals secrete their will they get goitre caused
hormones when they receive orders from by lack of thyroxine?
the pituitary through its hormones.
Pituitary also secretes growth hormone Activity 10.3
which is necessary for the normal
growth of a person. Collect information from magazines
or from doctors and prepare a note
on the importance of consuming
iodised salt. You can also look for
this information on the internet.
Are there hormones in
other animals also? Have
they any role to play in 10.9 Reproductive Health
reproduction? The physical and mental well being of
an individual is regarded as an
10.8 Role of Hormones in individual’s health. To keep the body
healthy, every human being, at any age,
Completing the Life needs to have a balanced diet. The
History of Insects and person must also observe personal
Frogs hygiene and undertake adequate
You have already learnt about the life physical exercise.
history of the silk moth and the frog. During adolescence, however, these
The caterpillar has to pass through become even more essential as the body
various stages to become an adult moth. is growing.
Recall from Class VII the stages of the
life history of the silk moth. Similarly, Nutritional Needs of the Adolescents
the tadpole passes through certain Adolescence is a stage of rapid growth
stages to become a frog (Chapter 9). and development. Hence the diet for an
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adolescent has to be carefully planned. Activity 10.5
You have already learnt what a balanced
Get ideas from the pictures given in
diet is. Recall that a balanced diet means
Fig.10.6. Prepare charts or posters
that the meals include proteins,
and paste them in the class so that
carbohydrates, fats and vitamins in you are aware of the diet for
requisite proportions. Our Indian meal adolescents. You may use your
of roti/rice, dal (pulses) and vegetables creative ideas and present it like an
is a balanced meal. Milk is a balanced advertisement. You may even
food in itself. Fruits also provide organise a competition on this topic.
nourishment. For infants, mother’s milk
provides all the nourishment that they
need.
Iron builds blood and iron-rich food
meat
such as leafy vegetables, jaggery, meat,
vegetables
citrus, Indian gooseberry (amla) are good
for adolescents.
milk and
Check items for lunch and dinner in eggs
your meal. Is the meal balanced and
nutritious? Does it include cereals
which give energy and milk, meat, nuts
and pulses which provide proteins for
growth? Also, does it include fats and
fruits
sugar that give energy? What about
fruits and vegetables which are
protective foods? Chips and packed or
tinned snacks, though very tasty
should never replace regular meals as
they do not have adequate nutritional
value.
grains
Activity 10.4
Fig. 10.6 : Nutritious items of food
Make a group with your friends.
Write down the items of food in your Personal Hygiene
breakfast, lunch and dinner you
Everyone should have a bath at least
had on the previous day. Identify
once everyday. It is more necessary for
the items responsible for proper
teenagers because the increased activity
growth. Also identified the junk
of sweat glands sometimes makes the
food that you consumed the
body smelly. All parts of the body should
previous day.
be washed and cleaned everyday. If

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cleanliness is not maintained there are Activity 10.6
chances of catching bacterial infection.
Girls should take special care of Collect data on the number of
cleanliness during the time of menstrual children in your class who exercise
flow. They should keep track of their regularly and who do not exercise
menstrual cycle and be prepared for the regularly. Did you notice any
onset of menstruation. Use sanitary difference in their fitness and
napkin or clean homemade pads. health? Prepare a report on the
Change pads after every 4–5 hours as benefits of regular exercise.
per the requirement.
Physical exercise
Say “NO” to Drugs
Walking and playing in fresh air keeps Adolescence is a period of much
the body fit and healthy. All young boys activity in the body and mind which
and girls should take walks, exercise is a normal part of growing up. So do
and play outdoor games. not feel confused or insecure. If
Myths, Taboos, Do’s and Don’ts
anybody suggests that you will get
relief if you take some drugs, just say
You have learnt here and from Chapter
9 the scientific facts related to human ‘No’ unless prescribed by the doctor.
reproduction. There are many wrong Drugs are addictive. If you take them
notions which you should now be able once, you feel like taking them again
to discard as informed adolescents. For and again. They harm the body in the
example, there are myths and taboos long run. They ruin health and
regarding bodily changes that
happiness.
adolescents experience. Some of these
are given below and you can now argue You must have heard about AIDS
why these are myths and not facts. which is caused by a dangerous virus,
1. A girl becomes pregnant if HIV. This virus can pass on to a
she looks at boys during normal person from an infected
menstruation. person by sharing the syringes used
2. The mother is responsible for the for injecting drugs. It can also be
sex of her child.
3. A girl should not be allowed to transmitted to an infant from the
work in the kitchen during infected mother through her milk. The
menstruation. virus can also be transmitted through
You may come across many other myths sexual contact with a person infected
and taboos. Discard them. with HIV.

Adolescent Pregnancy
You might be knowing that in our country, the legal age for marriage is 18 years
for girls and 21 years for boys. This is because teenage mothers are not prepared
mentally or physically for motherhood. Early marriage and motherhood cause health
problems in the mother and the child. It also curtails employment opportunities for
the young woman and may cause mental agony as she is not ready for
responsibilities of motherhood.

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KEYWORDS WHAT Y
WHAT OU HA
YOU VE LEARNT
HAVE
ADAM’S APPLE Ü Humans become capable of reproduction af-
ter puberty sets in. Children between the ages
ADOLESCENCE
of 11 and 19 years are called adolescents.
ADRENALIN Ü The onset of puberty brings about growth of
the reproductive organs. Hair grow at
BALANCED DIET
various places on the body. Breasts develop
ENDOCRINE GLANDS in girls and facial hair (moustache and beard)
appear in boys. Voice of boys becomes hoarse
ESTROGEN
as voice box enlarges during adolescence.
HORMONES Ü Children gain height during adolescence.
Ü The onset of puberty and maturity of
INSULIN
reproductive parts are controlled by hormones.
LARYNX Ü Hormones are secretions of endocrine glands
which pour them directly into the blood stream.
PITUITARY GLAND
Ü Pituitary gland secretes hormones which in-
PUBERTY clude growth hormone and hormones that
make other glands such as the testes, ovaries,
REPRODUCTIVE thyroids and adrenals, secrete hormones.
HEALTH Pancreas secretes insulin, thyroid produces

SECONDARY SEXUAL thyroxine and adrenals produce adrenalin.

CHARACTERS Ü Testosterone is the male hormone and

estrogen, the female hormone. The uterine wall
SEX CHROMOSOMES in females prepares itself to receive the
developing fertilised egg. In case there is no
TARGET SITE
fertilisation, the thickened lining of the uterine
TESTOSTERONE wall breaks down and goes out of the body
along with blood. This is called menstruation.
THYROXINE
Ü Sex of the unborn child depends on whether
VOICE BOX the zygote has XX or XY chromosomes.
Ü It is important to eat balanced food and
maintain personal hygiene during
adolescence.

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 Exercises

1. What is the term used for chemical secretions of endocrine glands

responsible for changes taking place in the body?
2. Define adolescence.
3. What is menstruation? Explain.

4. List changes in the body that take place at puberty.

5. Prepare a Table having two columns depicting names of endocrine glands
and hormones secreted by them.

6. What are sex hormones? Why are they named so? State their function.
7. Choose the correct option.
(a) Adolescents should be careful about what they eat, because

(i) proper diet develops their brains.

(ii) proper diet is needed for the rapid growth taking place in their
body.

(iii) adolescents feel hungry all the time.

(iv) taste buds are well developed in teenagers.
(b) Reproductive age in women starts when their

(i) menstruation starts.

(ii) breasts start developing.
(iii) body weight increases.

(iv) height increases.

(c) The right meal for adolescents consists of
(i) chips, noodles, coke.

(ii) chapati, dal, vegetables.

(iii) rice, noodles and burger.
(iv) vegetable cutlets, chips and lemon drink.

8. Write notes on—

(a) Adam’s apple.
(b) Secondary sexual characters.

(c) Sex determination in the unborn baby.

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 9. Word game : Use the clues to work out the words.
EXERCISES Across
3. Protruding voice box in boys
4. Glands without ducts
7. Endocrine gland attached to brain
8. Secretion of endocrine glands
9. Pancreatic hormone
10. Female hormone
Down
1. Male hormone
2. Secretes thyroxine
3. Another term for teenage
5. Hormone reaches here through blood stream
6. Voice box
7. Term for changes at adolescence

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 10. The table below shows the data on likely heights of boys and girls as they
grow in age. Draw graphs showing height and age for both boys and
girls on the same graph paper. What conclusions can be drawn from
these graphs?

Age Height (cm)

(Years) Boys Girls
0 53 53
4 96 92
8 114 110
12 129 133
16 150 150
20 173 165

Extended Learning — Activities and Projects

1. Find out from your elder relatives about their awareness of the
legal status of early marriage. You yourself may get information on
it from your teacher, parents, a doctor or the internet. Write a two-
minute speech explaining why early marriage is not good for the
couple.
2. Collect newspaper cuttings and information in magazines about HIV/
AIDS. Write a one page article of 15 to 20 sentences on HIV/AIDS.
3. In our country, according to 2011 census, there are 940 adolescent
females for every 1000 males. Find out.
(a) the concerns of the community regarding this low ratio.
Remember that the chance of having a boy or a girl is equal.
(b) what amniocentesis is and how useful this technique is. Why
is its use for identification of sex of the unborn child banned
in India?
4. Put your ideas together and write a short note on the importance of
knowing facts about reproduction.
For more information visit :
l www.teenshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/
l www.adolescenthealth.com

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 SYNTHETIC FIBRES AND PLASTICS

T
he clothes which we wear are 3.1 What are Synthetic
made of fabrics. Fabrics Fibres?
are made from fibres obtained
from natural or artificial sources. Can Try to recall the uniform pattern found
you name some natural fibres? Fibres in a necklace of beads joined with the
are also used for making a large variety help of a thread [Fig. 3.1(a)]. Or, try to
of household articles. Make a list of some join a number of paper clips together to
common articles made from fibres. Try make a long chain, as in Fig. 3.1 (b). Is
to separate them into those made from there any similarity between the two?
natural fibres and those made from
artificial fibres. Make entries in Table 3.1.

Table 3.1 : Natural and Artificial

Fibres

S. No. Name of Type of Fibre

Article (Natural/
artificial)

(a) (b)

Fig. 3.1 : ( a) Beads and ( b

b)) Paper clips
joined to form long chains

Why did you label some fibres as A synthetic fibre is also a chain of
artificial? small units joined together. Each small
You have read in your previous unit is actually a chemical substance.
classes that natural fibres like cotton, Many such small units combine to form
wool, silk, etc., are obtained from plants a large single unit called a polymer. The
or animals. The synthetic fibres, on the word ‘polymer’ comes from two Greek
other hand, are made by human beings. words; poly meaning many and mer
That is why these are called synthetic meaning part/unit. So, a polymer is made
or man-made fibres. of many repeating units.

2019-2020
 Polymers occur in nature also. Cotton, Nylon
for example, is a polymer called Nylon is another man-made fibre. In
cellulose. Cellulose is made up of a 1931, it was made without using any
large number of glucose units. natural raw material (from plant or
animal). It was prepared from coal, water
3.2 Types of Synthetic Fibres and air. It was the first fully synthetic
Rayon fibre.
Nylon fibre was strong, elastic and
You have read in Class VII that silk fibre light. It was lustrous and easy to wash.
obtained from silkworm was discovered So, it became very popular for making
in China and was kept as a closely clothes.
guarded secret for a long time. Fabric We use many articles made from
obtained from silk fibre was very costly. nylon, such as socks, ropes, tents,
But its beautiful texture fascinated toothbrushes, car seat belts, sleeping
everybody. Attempts were made to make bags, curtains, etc. (Fig. 3.3). Nylon is
silk artificially. Towards the end of the
nineteenth century, scientists were
successful in obtaining a fibre having
properties similar to that of silk. Such a
fibre was obtained by chemical
treatment of wood pulp. This fibre was
called rayon or artificial silk. Although
rayon is obtained from a natural source,
wood pulp, yet it is a man-made fibre. It
is cheaper than silk and can be woven
like silk fibres. It can also be dyed in a
wide variety of colours. Rayon is mixed
with cotton to make bed sheets or mixed
with wool to make carpets. (Fig. 3.2.)

Fig. 3.3: Various articles made from nylon

Is nylon fibre
really so strong
that we can make
nylon parachutes
and ropes for rock
climbing?
Fig. 3.2 : Articles made of rayon
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 a pan so that weight can be placed
in it. Add weight one by one till the
thread breaks. Note down the total
weight required to break the thread.
This weight indicates the strength
of the fibre. Repeat the same activity
with threads of wool, polyester, silk
and nylon. Tabulate the data as
shown in Table 3.2. Arrange the
threads in order of their increasing
strength.

Fig. 3.4: Use of nylon Fibres

also used for making parachutes and Observation Table 3.2
ropes for rock climbing (Fig. 3.4). A S. No. Type of Total Weight required
nylon thread is actually stronger than Thread/Fibre to break the Thread
a steel wire. 1. Cotton
Let us find out. 2. Wool
3. Silk
Activity 3.1 4. Nylon
Take an iron stand with a clamp.
Take a cotton thread of about 60 You may use a hook or a nail on
cm length. Tie it to the clamp so the wall for hanging the fibres and
that it hangs freely from it as shown a polythene bag at the other end.
in Fig. 3.5. At the free end suspend In place of weights you may
use marbles (or pebbles) of
similar size.

(Precaution : Note that all threads

should be of the same length and
almost of the same thickness.)

Polyester and Acrylic

Polyester is another synthetic fibre.
Fabric made from this fibre does not get
wrinkled easily. It remains crisp and is
easy to wash. So, it is quite suitable for
making dress material. You must have
seen people wearing polyester shirts and
other dresses. Terylene is a popular
Fig. 3.5: An iron stand with a thread hanging
from the clamp
polyester. It can be drawn into very fine

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fibres that can be woven like any You have already perfor med an
other yarn. activity of burning natural and
synthetic fibres (Activity 3.6 of Class
VII). What did you observe? When you
My mother always burn synthetic fibres you find that
buys PET bottles and their behaviour is different from
PET jars for storing that of the natural fibres. You must
rice and sugar. I have noticed that synthetic fibres
wonder what PET is ! melt on heating. This is actually a
disadvantage of synthetic fibres. If the
clothes catch fire, it can be disastrous.
PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is The fabric melts and sticks to the body
a very familiar form of polyester. It is
of the person wearing it. We should,
used for making bottles, utensils, films,
wires and many other useful products. therefore, not wear synthetic clothes
while working in in the kitchen or in
Look around and make a list of a laboratory.
things made of polyester.

Polyester (Poly+ester) is actually made

up of the repeating units of a chemical Oh! Now I understand why
called an ester. Esters are the my mother never wears
chemicals which give fruits their smell. polyester clothes while
Fabrics are sold by names like polycot, working in the kitchen.
polywool, terrycot, etc. As the name
suggests, these are made by mixing two
types of fibres. Polycot is a mixture of
polyester and cotton. Polywool is a All the synthetic fibres are prepared
mixture of polyester and wool. by a number of processes using raw
materials of petroleum origin, called
We wear sweaters and use shawls petrochemicals.
or blankets in the winter. Many of these
are actually not made from natural
wool, though they appear to resemble 3.3 Characteristics of
wool. These are prepared from another Synthetic Fibres
type of synthetic fibre called acrylic. Imagine that it is a rainy day. What kind
T h e w o ol obtai n ed from na tur a l of umbrella would you use and why?
sources is quite expensive, whereas Synthetic fibres possess unique
clothes made from acrylic are relatively characteristics which make them
cheap. They are available in a variety popular dress materials. They dry up
of colours. Synthetic fibres are quickly, are durable, less expensive,
more durable and affordable which readily available and easy to maintain.
makes them more popular than Perform the following activity and learn
natural fibres. for yourself.
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 Plastic is also a polymer like the
Activity 3.2 synthetic fibre. All plastics do not
Take two cloth pieces of the same have the same type of arrangement of
size, roughly half a metre square units. In some it is linear, whereas in
each. One of these should be from others it is cross-linked. (Fig. 3.6).
natural fibre. The other could be a Plastic articles are available in all
synthetic fibre. You can take help possible shapes and sizes as you can
of your parents in selecting these see in Fig. 3.7. Have you ever
pieces. Soak the pieces in different wondered how this is possible? The
mugs each containing the same fact is that plastic is easily mouldable
amount of water. Take the pieces i.e. can be shaped in any form. Plastic
out of the containers after five can be recycled, reused, coloured,
minutes and spread them in the sun melted, rolled into sheets or made into
for a few minutes. Compare the wires. That is why it finds such a
volume of the water remaining in variety of uses.
each container.

Do synthetic fabrics soak less/more

water than the natural fabrics? Do they
take less/more time to dry?
What does this activity tell you about
the characteristics of the synthetic fabrics?
Find out from your parents about the
durability, cost and maintenance of these
fabrics, compared to the natural fabrics.

3.4 Plastics
You must be familiar with many plastic
articles used everyday. Make a list of
such items and their uses.
Fig. 3.7 : Various articles made of plastics

(a) Polythene (Poly+ethene) is an example

of a plastic. It is used for making
commonly used polythene bags.

Now, try to bend a piece of plastic

yourself. Can all the plastic articles be
bent easily?
(b)
You will observe that some plastic
Fig. 3.6 : (a) Linear (b) Cross-linked articles can bend easily while some
arrangements break when forced to bend. When we
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add hot water to a plastic bottle, it gets 3.5 Plastics as Materials of
deformed. Such plastic which Choice
gets deformed easily on heating and
can be bent easily are known as Today if we think of storing a food
thermoplastics. Polythene and PVC are item, water, milk, pickles, dry food
some of the examples of thermoplastics. etc., plastic containers seem most
These are used for manufacturing toys, convenient. This is because of their
combs and various types of containers. light weight, lower price, good strength
On the other hand, there are some and easy handling. Being lighter as
plastics which when moulded once, can compared to metals, plastics are used
not be softened by heating. These are in cars, aircrafts and spacecrafts, too.
called thermosetting plastics. Two The list is endless if we start counting
examples are bakelite and melamine. articles like slippers, furniture,
Bakelite is a poor conductor of heat and decoration pieces, etc.
electricity. It is used for making
Now, let us discuss the characteristic
electrical switches, handles of various
properties of plastics.
utensils, etc. Melamine is a versatile
material. It resists fire and can tolerate Plastic is Non-reactive
heat better than other plastics. It is used
for making floor tiles, kitchenware and You know that metals like iron get
fabrics which resist fire. Fig. 3.8 shows rusted when left exposed to moisture
the various uses of thermoplastics and and air. But plastics do not react with
thermosetting plastics. water and air. They are not corroded
easily. That is why they are used to store
various kinds of material, including
many chemicals.

Plastic is Light, Strong and Durable

Talk to your parents or grandparents
about the types of buckets that were
used in the past. What is the material
of the buckets or mugs you are using
today? What are the advantages of using
Articles made of thermosetting plastics
a plastic container? Since plastic is very
light, strong, durable and can be
moulded into different shapes and sizes,
it is used for various purposes. Plastics
are generally cheaper than metals. They
are widely used in industry and for
household articles. Make a list of
Articles made of thermoplastics different kinds of plastic containers that
Fig. 3.8 : Some articles made of plastic you use in daily life.
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Plastics are Poor Conductors
Ü Fire-proof plastics: Although
You have learnt above that plastics are synthetic fibre catches fire easily,
poor conductors of heat and electricity. it is interesting to know that the
That is why electrical wires have plastic uniforms of firemen have coating
covering, and handles of screw drivers of melamine plastic to make them
are made of plastic. As mentioned above, flame resistant.
handles of frying pans are also made
of plastic. 3.6 Plastics and the
Environment
Did You Know? When we go to the market, we usually
Ü Plastics find extensive use in the
get things wrapped in plastic or packed
healthcare industry. Some
examples of their use are the in polythene bags. That is one reason
packaging of tablets, threads used why plastic waste keeps getting
for stitching wounds, syringes, accumulated in our homes. Ultimately,
doctors’ gloves and a number of plastic finds its way to the garbage.
medical instruments. Disposal of plastic is a major problem.
Ü Special plastic cookware is used
Why?
in microwave ovens for cooking
food. In microwave ovens, the heat A material which gets decomposed
cooks the food but does not affect through natural processes, such
the plastic vessel. as action by bacteria, is called
Ü Teflon is a special plastic on which biodegradable. A material which is not
oil and water do not stick. It is easily decomposed by natural processes
used for non-stick coating on
is termed non-biodegradable.
cookwares.
Look at Table 3.3.
Table 3.3

Type of Waste Approximate Time Nature of Material

taken to Degenerate
Peels of vegetable and fruits, 1 to 2 weeks Biodegradable
leftover foodstuff, etc.
Paper 10 to 30 days Biodegradable
Cotton cloth 2 to 5 months Biodegradable
Wood 10 to15 years Biodegradable
Woollen clothes About a year Biodegradable
Tin, aluminium, and other 100 to 500 years Non-biodegradable
metal cans
Plastic bags Several years Non-biodegradable
l Source: http://edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/solwaste/types.htm

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 Since plastic takes several years to Avoid the use of plastics as far as
decompose, it is not environment possible. Make use of bags made of
friendly. It causes environmental cotton or jute when you go for shopping.
pollution. Besides, the burning process The biodegradable and non-
in the synthetic material is quite slow biodegradable wastes should be
and it does not get completely burnt collected separately and disposed off
easily. In the process it releases lots of separately. Practise this in your homes.
poisonous fumes into the atmosphere Can you suggest some other ways in
causing air pollution. How can this which you can contribute towards
problem be solved? reducing the use of plastic materials?
It is better to recycle plastic waste.
Have you ever seen a garbage dump Most of the thermoplastics can be
where animals are eating garbage? In recycled. Make a list of items that can
the process of eating the food waste be recycled. However, during recycling
they swallow materials like polythene certain colouring agents are added.
bags and wrappers of food. Can you This limits its usage especially for
imagine the consequences? The storage of food.
plastic material chokes the respiratory As a responsible citizen remember
system of these animals, or forms a the 5 R principle. Reduce, Reuse,
lining in their stomachs and can be
Recycle, Recover and Refuse. Develop
the cause of their death.
habits which are environment friendly.
The polybags carelessly thrown here
and there are responsible for clogging Fibre-wise
the drains, too. Sometimes we are very
careless and throw the wrappers of Ü Do not throw plastic bags in the
chips, biscuits and other eatables on water bodies or on the road.
the road or in parks or picnic places. Ü Take a cotton carry bag or a jute
Should we not think twice before doing bag while going for shopping.
so ? As a responsible citizen what Ü Try to minimise the use of plastic
measures do you suggest to keep public materials e.g., use a steel lunch
places clean and free of plastic? box instead of a plastic one.

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KEYWORDS WHAT Y
WHAT OU HA
YOU VE LEARNT
HAVE
ACRYLIC Ü Synthetic fibres and plastics, like natural fi-
bres, are made of very large units called poly-
ARTIFICIAL SILK
mers. Polymers are made up of many smaller
NYLON units.
Ü While natural fibres are obtained from plants
PLASTIC
and animals, synthetic fibres are obtained by
POLYESTER chemical processing of petrochemicals. Like
natural fibres, these fibres can also be woven
POLYMER into fabrics.
POLYTHENE Ü Synthetic fibres find uses ranging from
many household articles like ropes,
RAYON buckets, furniture, containers, etc., to highly
specialised uses in aircrafts, ships, space-
SYNTHETIC FIBRES
crafts, healthcare, etc.
TERYLENE Ü Depending upon the types of chemicals used
for manufacturing synthetic fibres, they are
THERMOPLASTICS
called Rayon, Nylon, Polyester and Acrylic.
THERMOSETTING Ü The different types of fibres differ from one
PLASTICS another in their strength, water absorbing
capacity, nature of burning, cost, durability
etc.
Ü Today, life without plastics cannot be imagined.
Be it home, or outside, plastic is everywhere.
Ü The waste created by plastics is not
environment friendly. On burning, plastics
release poisonous gases. On dumping in the
ground they may take years to degenerate.
This is because of their non-biodegradable
nature.
Ü We need to use synthetic fibres and plastics
in such a manner that we can enjoy their good
qualities and at the same time minimise the
environmental hazards for the living
communities.

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 Exercises

1. Explain why some fibres are called synthetic.

2. Mark (ü ) the correct answer.

Rayon is different from synthetic fibres because

(a) it has a silk-like appearance.

(b) it is obtained from wood pulp.

(c) its fibres can also be woven like those of natural fibres.

3. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.

(a) Synthetic fibres are also called __________ or __________ fibres.

(b) Synthetic fibres are synthesised from raw material called __________ .

(c) Like synthetic fibres, plastic is also a __________ .

4. Give examples which indicate that nylon fibres are very strong.

5. Explain why plastic containers are favoured for storing food.

6. Explain the difference between thermoplastic and thermosetting plastics.

7. Explain why the following are made of thermosetting plastics.

(a) Saucepan handles

(b) Electric plugs/switches/plug boards

8. Categorise the materials of the following products into ‘can be recycled’

and ‘cannot be recycled’.

Telephone instruments, plastic toys, cooker handles, carry bags, ball point
pens, plastic bowls, plastic covering on electrical wires, plastic chairs,
electrical switches.

9. Rana wants to buy shirts for summer. Should he buy cotton shirts or
shirts made from synthetic material? Advise Rana, giving your reason.

10. Give examples to show that plastics are noncorrosive in nature.

11. Should the handle and bristles of a tooth brush be made of the same
material? Explain your answer.

12. ‘Avoid plastics as far as possible’. Comment on this advice.

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 13. Match the terms of column A correctly with the phrases given in

EXERCISES
column B.

A B
(i) Polyester (a) Prepared by using wood pulp
(ii) Teflon (b) Used for making parachutes and stockings
(iii) Rayon (c) Used to make non-stick cookwares
(iv) Nylon (d) Fabrics do not wrinkle easily
14. ‘Manufacturing synthetic fibres is actually helping conservation of forests’.
Comment.
15. Describe an activity to show that thermoplastic is a poor conductor of
electricity.

Extended Learning — Activities and Projects

1. Have you heard of the campaign : ‘‘Say No To Plastics”. Coin a few

more slogans of this kind. There are certain governmental and non-
governmental organisations who educate the general public on how
to make wise use of plastics and develop environment friendly
habits. Find out organisations in your area which are carrying out
awareness programmes. If there is none, form one.
2. Organise a debate in the school. Children may be given an option
to role play as manufacturers of synthetic fabrics or those of fab-
rics from natural sources. They can then debate on the topic ‘My
Fabric is Superior’.
3. Visit five families in your neighbourhood and enquire about the
kind of clothes they use, the reason for their choice and advantages
of using them in terms of cost, durability and maintenance. Make a
short report and submit it to your teacher.
4. Devise an activity to show that organic waste is biodegradable while
plastic is not.

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 Did You Know?
Nylon appears like silk. It is strong and flexible. These endearing qualities of
nylon created a public sensation, or nylon mania, when it was introduced in
1939. Women’s stockings made from this new fibre were in great demand. But,
unfortunately, most of the nylon production had to be diverted to making
parachutes during the Second World War (1939-1945). After the war, when
production of stockings resumed, supply did not match the demand. There was
a huge black market for this product. Women had to wait for hours in queues to
get a pair. Often there were nylon riots.

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