Paper towel

High school (ages 12+)
Everyday Life

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/paper-towel

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 a paper towel and how does it clean up spills?A paper towel is a thin sheet made of many tiny fibers that can soak up liquid. When water touches it, the fibers pull the liquid into tiny holes, so the towel can hold more water than its size suggests.
2. Why do paper towels help keep hands clean in public restrooms?Paper towels wipe away germs when you dry your hands, and because each towel is used only once, it stops germs from spreading from one person to another.

Capillary Action: The phenomenon by which liquid spontaneously rises in a capillary tube or other porous material due to surface tension and adhesion.
Porosity: The quality or state of being porous; the measure of void spaces in a material.
Cross-contamination: The process whereby pathogens are transferred from one surface or food to another, potentially causing illness.
Sustainability: The ability to maintain or support a process continuously or indefinitely; meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.