1.4 Natural vs Synthetic Study Guide

1.4 Natural vs Synthetic Materials (8.1.4)

Explore this Phenomenon

1. What observations can you make about how you think the flower and the medicine are related?
2. How are the flower and the medicine different?
3. What questions do you have about the connection between these two?

8.1.4 Natural vs. Synthetic Materials

Obtain and evaluate information to describe how synthetic materials come from natural resources, what their functions are, and how society uses these new materials. Examples of new materials could include medicine, foods, building materials, plastics, and alternative fuels. (PS1.A, PS1.B, ESS3.A)

In this section, focus on structure and function. The properties of the synthetic materials, such as how they can be shaped, determine their structure and their structure can be utilized to serve particular functions.

Natural vs. Synthetic

Many advertisements claim their products are "all natural." Most people understand this to mean that it comes from nature or is made from something that occurs in nature. On the other hand, when people hear that something is "synthetic", you think of things that are made in the lab which is true, synthetic things have been made by mankind.

The diamond on the left above came from a mine. It is natural. The diamond on the right was created in a lab. It is synthetic. The diamond produced in the lab costs about 30% less than the mined diamond. What's the difference between them? These two diamonds are made of the exact same thing and have the exact same properties. If you were to look at them under a microscope, they look exactly the same. Many of the materials that occur naturally can be made synthetically by scientists in the lab. If a synthetic material has the same chemical structure as a naturally occurring material, they have the same properties.

Insulin is a compound made by the body that allows our bodies to use the sugar in the food we eat. Some people’s bodies don't have the ability to make insulin. These people have a condition known as diabetes. Scientists used to get insulin from pigs however it took huge numbers of pigs to make the needed insulin. Scientists have now developed a way to make insulin in the lab synthetically. Chemically, natural insulin and synthetic insulin have the exact same structure and properties. People with diabetes can inject synthetic insulin into their bodies and then their bodies can use sugar just like people who produce insulin naturally. The only difference between natural and synthetic insulin is the process used to make them.

Examples of Synthetic Materials that come from Natural Resources

Revisit the flower and medicine phenomenon. The Foxglove flower, though poisonous if eaten fresh, contains chemicals that are beneficial to society. A medicine can be made from the Foxglove flower that is used to treat heart failure. It increases the force of heart contractions which improves blood flow and gives the heart more rest time between beats. This medicine is a great example of a synthetic material that has been made from a natural resource.

Many other things we use every day are synthetic and are made from natural resources. Let’s look at something we use a lot of everyday: plastic. Plastic is, in many ways, an almost ideal substance because it is used for many different things and it is cheap to make. Plastic is mainly made from petroleum (oil).

Watch the video From DNA to Silly Putty http://go.uen.org/aYT to gain a better understanding. Plastics have a downfall though; in that they take a long time to decompose and often become a hazard to other organisms.

Watch the Edward Norton video link http://go.uen.org/aYW and think more about the problems associated with plastic.

Clothing is yet another great example of a synthetic material we use everyday that comes from something natural. The fibers that compose the materials for our clothes are either natural or human-made. Silk and cotton are examples of natural fibers. Silk is produced by silkworms and woven into cloth and cotton is grown as a plant. Human-made fabrics include nylon and polyester. These materials are made from petroleum products. Synthetic fabrics are also used in shoes, rain gear, and camping items. The synthetic fabrics tend to be lighter than the natural ones and can be treated to make them more water -resistant and durable. Materials originally developed as textiles are finding a wide variety of other uses. Nylon is found in a number of plastic utensils. Because it is strong and lightweight, nylon is a component of ropes, fishing nets, tents, and parachutes.

To find out about the properties of different natural and synthetic fabrics, go to this website link: http://go.uen.org/aZH

Putting It Together

1. Explain your understanding of synthetic vs natural substances.
2. Think of another phenomenon that applies natural and synthetic substances.
3. Explain what the connection is between the flower and the medicine based on what you have learned in this section.