Silicone

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/silicone

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 polymer backbone?Inorganic chain of alternating silicon and oxygen atoms (-Si-O-)
2. What is the thermal stability?Functional across a wide temperature range, typically from -100°C to over 300°C
3. Why can silicone be both stretchy and tough?Because its backbone of silicon and oxygen atoms is very strong and flexible. Adding different side groups lets scientists change how stretchy or hard it is.
4. How does silicone stay strong in very hot or very cold places?The Si‑O bonds in silicone are stronger than the bonds in ordinary plastics, so it keeps working from -100°C to over 300°C. That makes it useful in engines, rockets, and winter gear.

Polysiloxane: The chemical name for silicone polymers, referring to their silicon-oxygen backbone.
Cross-linking: The process of forming chemical bonds between polymer chains to create a more rigid, three-dimensional network.
Elastomer: A rubber-like polymer that can be stretched and return to its original shape.