A polymer is a class of nature or synthetic substance composed of very large molecules called macromolecules. Polymers make up materials in organisms including proteins, cellulose, and nucleic acids. (Polymer. (2014). Encyclopedia Britannica.) Polymer chemistry has impacted our society today greatly by manipulating matter to fulfill the needs of people in everyday life. Chemists have synthesized materials to possess certain properties in order to benefit mankind. In this lab, the materials used are polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate and sodium borate to make the necessary object, which is a bouncy ball. Polyvinyl alcohol is a colorless water- soluble synthetic used for textiles and paper. (Polyvinyl Alcohol. (2014). Encyclopedia Britannica.) …show more content…
It would start to flatten out after a while. However, in trials two, four, and six the bounce was good. In trial five, the ball was not sticky, but, there was little to no bounce. Trials one through six was unsuccessful due to the fact that the individual ball had an error in it. In trial seven with the ratio of 2 to 1, 5ml of polyvinyl acetate and 10ml of sodium borate, the best bouncy ball was created as it held its shape well, had a good bounce, and was not sticky like the other trials. Ball withstanding the environments- After creating the bouncy ball, the balls have to endure different environmental temperatures. In the hot and dry environment, the ball was in it for 10 min. It held its shape pretty well as it barely flatten out. However, the ball did lose some of its bounciness as it went from 12 inches to 9 inches making it a 3 inch difference. For the hot and wet environment, the ball did lose some of its shape as it began to flatten out and became a slimy texture. However, the ball was still able to bounce when it was dropped at 24 inches; it bounced back at 7 inches making it a 5.5 inch difference from