Synthetic Materials for Kids: How Chemistry Makes New Stuff (Grades 6 to 8 Science)

Hi, I'm Luna from DoodleBeez. Look around you. Your backpack, your water bottle and maybe your jacket are made of materials that do not exist in nature. These are synthetic materials.

Natural materials come straight from nature, like wood, cotton, wool and stone. Synthetic materials are made when people use chemical reactions to change natural resources into something new.

Many synthetic materials start as petroleum, also called crude oil. Chemists break it into small molecules, then link those molecules into very long chains called polymers. Plastics are polymers.

Synthetic fabrics like nylon and polyester are polymers too. They are strong, stretchy and dry quickly. They are used in jackets, ropes, tents and sports clothes.

Many medicines are synthetic. Scientists study a helpful substance from a plant, then make it in a lab, often in a purer and safer form. This lets factories produce large amounts.

Synthetic materials help us, but they also have impacts. Many plastics take hundreds of years to break down and can harm wildlife. Recycling and reusing materials help reduce the problem.

Now it's your turn. Is a wool sweater natural or synthetic? What about a nylon backpack? Pause and try. Wool is natural, because it comes from sheep. Nylon is synthetic, made by chemical reactions.

Great job! Remember, synthetic materials are made from natural resources using chemical reactions. They are useful, but we must manage their impacts. Practice synthetic materials in the Science Lab at doodlebeez.com. See you next time!