Bakelite

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/bakelite

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the chemical composition?A phenol formaldehyde resin, specifically polyoxybenzylmethyleneglycolanhydride
2. What is the year of patent?1909
3. What is Bakelite and why is it special?Bakelite is the world’s first fully synthetic plastic, made by mixing phenol and formaldehyde. It can be molded into shapes and then hardens into a strong, heat‑resistant material.
4. How does Bakelite stay shaped after it is made?When Bakelite is heated, its molecules link together in a way that can’t be undone. This makes it rigid and keeps it from melting again.

Condensation Reaction: A chemical reaction where two molecules combine to form a larger molecule, releasing a small molecule like water.
Cross-linking: The formation of chemical bonds between polymer chains, creating a rigid, three-dimensional network.
Thermoplastic: A type of plastic that can be repeatedly softened by heating and hardened by cooling.
Polymerization: The process by which small molecules (monomers) join together to form long chains (polymers).