1ST QUARTER

Common Household Materials and Their Properties

Have you experienced using any of the materials shown above? Which among the materials are made up of metal? Which are made up of glass? Which are hard or brittle? How about smooth or rough? Which material is waterproof? Which is absorbent? By answering these questions, you are describing the properties of matter!

In describing the properties of materials, it is important to recognize the observable characteristics based on their physical appearance. Some of these observable characteristics are color, shape, and size. These properties vary from one material to another and help define the purpose or role of a certain object.

For example, most garden hoses are long and slender to allow water to travel long distances from the faucet to different areas in the garden. Oftentimes, hoses are green to complement the color of the grass when laid on the ground and not in use.

Another property of materials is texture. It is the way that something feels when touched. Materials made of metals, glass, or plastics have smooth surfaces. These materials are often used as containers for food and drinks. They do not absorb moisture from the materialsthey store. Cleaning materials such as brushes, dishwashing sponges, and steel wools have rough surfaces to remove the dirt on the materials in which they are in contact. However, the handles of cleaning brushes have rugged surfaces to allow hands to grip the materials easier when using them.

Thermal conductivity is the ability of an object to allow heat to pass through it. Some objects at home have the capability to allow heat to pass through them. Have you tried cooking using a casserole? Why do you think it has a metal body, but the handles are made up of plastic? The reason behind this is that metals are good conductors of heat. Conductors allow heat to pass through them easily. They conduct heat fast, which allows food inside it to be cooked. The handles of cooking pans and utensils are made up of wood or plastic. Unlike metals, these materials are known as insulators. Insulators do not allow heat to pass through them easily.

Transparency is the property of a material that describes the ability of light to pass through. A material could be transparent, translucent, or opaque. Have you noticed that most saucepan covers are made up of glass? The glass cover of saucepans allows the person cooking to see the food inside the saucepan without opening it. Materials that allow light to pass through are called transparent materials. An example of a transparent material is clear glass. Objects behind transparent materials can be seen. Some materials do not allow light to pass through. These materials are called opaque materials. An example of opaque material is the amber bottle used for liquid medicines.

Some materials allow some light to pass through but also absorb some light. These materials are known as translucent materials. Stained glass windows are translucent materials. Objects behind a stained glass window are not as visible as objects behind a clear glass window. It is not as detailed as those objects found behind a transparent material.

Other properties of materials that may be observed are sharpness, flexibility, and hardness.

● Sharpness is the quality of being sharp. Blunt objects have edges or points which are not sharp. A knife is an example of a material that is sharp.

● Flexibility is the ability of a material to be bent without breaking. Materials made out of rubber are flexible.

● Hardness is the condition of being rigid and unbreakable. Brittle objects break easily, while hard objects are difficult to scratch. Diamond is the hardest naturally occurring material on Earth.

● Luster is the ability of an object to shine when light strikes it. Material may be dull or shiny.

● Dull is the condition of an object lacking brilliance or luster. Unlike dull objects, shiny objects have a smooth and glossy surface, allowing them to shine under the light. Glitters are good examples of shiny materials, while papers and cartons are considered dull materials.

Absorbability refers to the ability of a material to absorb or take in certain materials, usually liquids, in a gradual manner. Have you ever wondered why rain boots are made up of plastic? Rain boots are made of plastics because plastics do not easily soak in water, making them waterproof. Waterproof materials repel liquids, specifically water. Absorbent materials absorb liquids like water.

Materials at home may also be grouped as synthetic or natural. Natural materials come directly from the environment. Synthetic materials are human-made materials that are either produced industrially or commercially. This property lets the user know how “natural” a certain product is.

Properties of Harmful Materials

A match is a useful source of flame, especially when cooking. But if a child accidentally played with a lighted matchstick and left it somewhere near flammable material, it may cause a dangerous fire.

Some materials that may easily catch fire at home are gasoline, paints, curtains, and paper. These materials are flammable and could catch and spread fire easily.

Muriatic acid, also known as hydrochloric acid, is a strong acid used for cleaning bathrooms and floor tiles. This product has a very pungent odor that may cause dizziness and shortness of breathing when exposed for quite a long time. The strong acidity or high amount of acid in this product may cause irritation or itchiness on the skin.

Have you seen small, round white balls in your closet? Or rice-grain-like pellets inside sink cabinets? Those are known as pesticides. Pesticides are chemical products used to get rid of insects, rats, and other pests. Mothballs are often seen inside the closets to prevent clothes from being damaged by moths or molds. Rat poison appears to be food-like to attract rats to eat it and kills them afterward. However, these pesticides are poisonous when eaten by humans. Since these materials are poisonous, these products should be stored properly and must be out of the reach of children.

Safety Precautions at Home

Safety precautions must be considered to keep yourself safe while using household products and materials. Safety precautions are sets of actions and processes that are observed in advance to protect oneself from getting harmed or caught in an accident. Below are some safety precautions in handling materials at home:

1. Read and understand product labels.

A product label is printed information that tells important details about the product. It lists the ingredients that the product contains. It also describes how it must be used and stored. Product labels are important in keeping oneself safe in handling materials at home.

2. Use protective gear when using chemical-based household products.

When using chemical-based household products, it is important to wear protective gear like gloves, masks, or even goggles if necessary. Paints usually have a strong odor that may harm one’s respiratory system. Therefore, a facial mask must be worn by a person who paints at home. When cleaning bathrooms using muriatic acid, wear gloves to protect your hands from getting irritated by this strong acid.

3. Keep chemical-based household products out of children’s reach.

Pesticides and cleaning products may bring harm to both children and adults. However, unlike adults, children may not be able to read and understand product labels. When they use such products, they might use them differently, leading to injuries or accidents. Some liquid products appear to be water or juice, which may attract kids to drink them and lead to poisoning. Some products may also burn skin or cause irritation when not handled properly.

Most cleaning products and pesticides are stored inside the cabinet under the kitchen sink. However, cabinets are easy to open and within reach of children. To ensure that children will not reach these products, lock the cabinet and keep the key away from them. If you are going to use them inside the house, instruct the children to cover their noses or go to a room where they cannot smell the odor of these chemical-based products.

4. Hold sharp and pointed objects properly.

Sharp and pointed objects may hurt others when not handled properly. When holding a knife, scissors, and other pointed and sharp objects, they should be facing downward or away from others. Never point sharp and pointed objects at anyone. Do not play with these materials to avoid hurting others.

5. Do not play with flammable materials.

Playing with flammable materials will not only hurt others but may also cause damage to properties. It can be the start of a huge fire that may consume the entire house and other materials in it. Like other chemical-based household products, flammable materials must be kept out of children’s reach to prevent them from playing with such materials.

Safety Symbols in Household Materials

Some product labels include safety symbols. Safety symbols are signs that warn the users of what harm it can bring to them. Understanding the meaning of these safety symbols will help the person know how to handle, store, or dispose of a certain household product.

Have you ever wondered what is in the air that we breathe? What makes us alive when we breathe the air around us? What is the composition of air? Air is a mixture of different gases. But one gas present in the air is very important for living things to survive – oxygen. Oxygen is part of the air that is taken in by living things in their body to continue life. But oxygen affects materials too.

Chemical Changes Due to Presence of Oxygen

Changes in materials due to oxygen are chemical changes. A chemical change is a kind of change in the matter in which the composition of matter is altered. This kind of change results in the formation of new materials. For instance, when a material reacts with oxygen, new material is formed.

Materials that change with the influence of oxygen undergo oxidation. It is a chemical reaction that results in the formation of new material. For example, a banana that begins to form brown spots on its peeling is starting to decay. When it is left untouched and not eaten, it becomes spoiled. A material that decays changes into a new material as it is broken down into tiny bits with the help of microorganisms. This change makes the spoiled banana a new and different material from the previously fresh banana.

Examples of Chemical Changes Due to Presence of Oxygen

Have you noticed that the flesh of an apple turns brown after leaving it in an open space? This is known as food browning. It is a process in which enzymes present in food react with the oxygen in its surrounding. Enzymes are substances that speed up a reaction. Food browning is an initial sign of food spoilage. Therefore, food starts to decay when exposed to oxygen.

To prevent food browning in fruits and vegetables like potatoes, eggplants, pears, and avocados, soak them completely in water to avoid being exposed to air. For the case of unpeeled fruits, cover them tightly with plastic to lessen their exposure to oxygen. It is also advisable to eat them before the peeling starts to turn brown.

Oxygen is not bad at all times. People need oxygen to live. People use oxygen for respiration. But aside from that, oxygen plays an important role in the body’s metabolism. Metabolism is a chemical process in which digested food reacts with oxygen to produce energy for the body. When the food is eaten, it is broken down into smaller pieces. Once fully digested, it is metabolized by mixing with oxygen. This process releases energy from the food that is important for the body to function.

The padlock is shiny and new. After some time of being used and exposed out there, it is now covered with orange flakes. What could be the reason for this? The situation depicted is an example of rusting. Rusting is the start of the decaying of metals, particularly iron when it is mixed with oxygen. Iron, when combined with oxygen in the presence of water, forms rust. This is the reason why metals that are exposed to rain outdoors rust faster than metals found inside the house. Paint is used to cover up the surface of metals to prevent metals from rusting. The same is true for rusting iron nails.

Have you ever wondered why ice cream melts when taken out of the freezer? What could probably cause such changes? The answer is heat! But how does heat affect the materials around us? What happens to a material when heat is applied to it?

Heat

Heat is a form of energy that is present in all states of matter. The movement of the particles that make up matter releases energy in the form of heat. The faster the movement of the particles, the higher the heat energy it possesses. Heat is also transferred from one material to another.

Physical Changes Due to Heat

Heat causes changes in temperature. Temperature is defined as the hotness or coldness of an object. When heat is applied to matter, its temperature rises. When heat is released from an object, its temperature lowers. Changes in temperature cause changes in the state of matter or phase changes.

When water is boiled, heat is applied. You will notice that bubbles start to form on the surface of the water when the water starts to boil. After some time, you will see steam rising from the boiling water. Steam is known as water vapor. Water vapor is water in its gaseous state. Applying heat to water changes its liquid form to gas form. The phase change from liquid to gas is known as evaporation.

When you allow your wet laundry to dry under the sun, the water from the wet laundry evaporates because of the heat coming from the sun. What happens to butter when you heat it up in a frying pan? The solid butter softens until it changes to a liquid. The phase change from solid to liquid is known as melting. The butter absorbs the heat coming from the pan, making the particles in the butter move rapidly. This rapid movement makes the particles slide past one another just like how liquid particles behave.

Phase changes are examples of physical changes in matter. A physical change involves a change in the state and appearance of an object. The composition of the object that undergoes physical change remains the same. The application of heat in an object causes physical changes.

Chemical Changes Due to Heat

Not all changes when heat is applied are physical changes. Sometimes, heat may change the composition of a material. When this happens, the change is classified as a chemical change. New material is formed after the change has taken place. Some proofs that chemical change occurs in a material are the following: color change, odor production, gas production, and temperature change.

When the color of material changes, the change that occurs is a chemical change. A chemical change also occurs when a material releases a different smell. Whenever you burn something, heat is applied to the object.

Take for example the burning of a sugar cube. Notice that the sugar cube is a white solid. After heating it on a spoon, it turns into a sticky brown liquid with a strong sweet odor. The confirmations that chemical change has taken place in this situation are change of color and production of smell. It forms a new material which is caramel.

When the temperature of an object changes, a chemical change occurs. The temperature change can either be an increase in temperature (absorption of heat) or a decrease in temperature (release of heat). When gas is produced, chemical change also occurs. Production of gas sometimes occurs simultaneously with temperature change.

Another example of a chemical change brought about by the application of heat is when you burn the paper. Paper is flammable as it can easily catch flame and burn. When the paper starts to burn, the first thing you will notice is the formation of smoke. This indicates that there is a change in the temperature of the paper causing it to release smoke. Another indication of a chemical change is the change in the color of the paper. What is left when you burn paper are the ashes. The ashes represent the new material as a result of chemical change.

When you light a matchstick, you will notice that smoke comes out of it. This means that the matchstick is starting to burn already. Once the flame is extinguished, the burnt part of the matchstick has changed its color. New material in the form of charcoal is produced.

When materials can no longer serve their primary purpose, they become wastes. They are required to be disposed of because they take up space or storing them may be hazardous to health. Some materials, however, may remain useful even though their contents have been used up already. Properly disposing of these materials plays an important role in keeping the people healthy and the environment a safe place to live. Understanding the properties of different materials around us and the changes they undergo is important in waste management particularly in identifying materials for the 5R method – recycling, reducing, reusing, recovering, and repairing.

When you eat an orange, you do not eat the peelings because it is not edible. These peelings become food scrap or trash and need to be thrown already. Commercial products like condiments, detergents, and personal care materials have containers and packaging that become empty when all their contents are used up. How should you dispose of the orange peelings and the plastic containers? Is there another way for you to use them? In general,  how should you properly manage your waste materials?

Waste Management

Waste management is the process of collecting, transporting, and disposing of wastes or garbage. It involves minimizing solid wastes by identifying their other possible purposes. The principle of waste management is governed by the 5Rs: reuse, recycle, reduce, recover, and repair.

Reduce

Reduce means decreasing the amount of waste produced. When wastes generated in every household are reduced, there will be less garbage that goes to the landfill.

The most effective way to reduce waste is to exercise wise buying. Buy only what is important and needed. When going to the grocery or shopping, list down the items that you need to purchase. By doing so, you will prevent yourself from buying unnecessary materials which will generate waste once consumed. Use your own reusable cloth bags to contain the newly bought grocery items. Bringing reusable cloth bags will lessen the use of plastics or paper bags which can add up to household garbage.

Make it also a habit of bringing a refillable water container instead of buying bottled water. Bringing refillable water containers will lessen the number of plastic bottles that go to the dumpsite and help you save money too. Avoid buying disposable materials like razors, batteries, utensils, plates, and cups. Choose to buy materials that may be used several times. In this way, fewer materials are needed to be disposed of after use and more so, fewer resources are used.

Another way to reduce waste is to unsubscribe from the mailing of the utility bills. As an alternative, opt to have them sent to you via electronic mail (email). The use of email will minimize paper production which is like reducing paper waste.

In writing notes, it is advisable to use both sides of the paper. Papers with only one written or printed side may still be used in writing grocery lists or important reminders. Newspapers and magazines may be used as gift wrappers or covers for books and notebooks. Utility bills may also be used to wipe windows or glass panels.

Reuse

If the production of waste is unavoidable, find another way for some of it to be useful again. Instead of throwing the garbage right away, you can use them again for a different purpose, donate, or sell them.

Consider the quality and the packaging of the material before buying it to make sure that it is reusable. Buy durable containers that may be used again to contain other materials. The reuse of durable containers will prevent the use of plastics or aluminum foil which can also lessen the amount of waste production.

Buy reusable materials instead of purchasing single-use materials. For example, buy batteries that are rechargeable instead of getting batteries that may be used only once. These batteries may repeatedly be used as long as you charge them with the use of electricity. Using rechargeable batteries could lessen the number of technological wastes in the environment.

There are instances that products come with plastic or paper packaging. Instead of throwing the plastic or paper packaging, they may be used as trash bin bags to contain other waste materials that were segregated already. This may also be done with shopping bags and carton boxes. They are big enough to contain smaller waste materials and can conveniently act as trash bins.

Reusing materials does not only reduce waste but also reduces the initial resources that are used in producing the material. Papers are made from trees. Reusing paper does not only save paper but also plants and trees.

Instead of buying items in sachets or small packets, buy items that are packed in bigger containers. This will not only save you money but also lessen the number of plastic wastes in the form of sachets. Buying items in refillable bottles will also help reduce the production of waste. Instead of buying new material with the same packaging, you can just refill it.

Recycle

If a material is not reusable, recycle it by turning it into another useful material. It is like giving a new purpose to a material that is supposedly meant to be thrown away.

The first step in recycling is by providing trash bins that are properly labeled and putting them in a place where most people can see them. Properly labeled trash bins will make the disposal and segregation of garbage easier. People who will throw garbage will know where to put their trash based on the bin’s label. Also, garbage collectors will not have a hard time separating the trash according to their kind and use. In the end, selling the trash to the recycling plants will be done faster since there is no need to segregate them.

Recycling is different from the other process of disposing of wastes because it requires a lot of creativity and ingenuity. Sometimes, it is not immediately evident what other useful materials you can produce from waste materials. Oftentimes, these useful recycled materials may serve very different purposes compared to their original function. You need to squeeze your creative juices and think out of the box to recycle materials and produce useful ones.

Plastic bottles are common household products. When thrown away, they may add up to the much garbage in the landfill that takes hundreds of years before they decay. Therefore, it is important to repurpose them by turning them into a new material with a different use. The picture on the right shows plastic bottles that are converted to a hanging garden, in which the bottles are used as alternative pots. There are many other ways to recycle plastic bottles and lessen the amount of non-biodegradable trash in the environment.

The most common example of recycling is making compost out of kitchen and garden wastes. Since food scraps, dried leaves, twigs, and animal wastes easily decay, putting them in one container with some soil will produce an all-natural fertilizer. Composting lessens the biodegradable trash that goes to the landfill and at the same time, helps save money by not spending money to buy commercial fertilizers. Since the wastes naturally decay, they do not smell that bad compared to non-biodegradable materials.

Repair

Materials that are reusable sometimes wear out and become broken. If that happens, those materials should be repaired and not thrown away. To repair means to fix something that is broken and make it useful again. Many household materials may be repaired once broken.

Instead of buying a new pair of shoes, find ways first on how it can be repaired. Visit an experienced shoemaker to check how it can be made useful again. It will save you from spending money and at the same time, lessen the possibility of generating waste. Repair may also be done to broken appliances, furniture, and other materials. There might be ways to save them, save money and save the earth from more waste.

Ripped clothes may be repaired by stitching them together. Instead of throwing them away and buying a new one, it would be better to fix them first to reduce the possibility of increasing household waste. Longer pants can be trimmed to the appropriate lengths, while rips can be added to ripped pants as a fashion statement.

Recover

If materials cannot be reused, recycled, or repaired, then they may be recovered in the form of energy. All wastes that go straight to the landfill possess energy that may be retrieved with the help of technology.

An incinerator is a facility where garbage and other waste materials are burned. In this facility, the burnt garbage is converted to ash, heat, and gas. The heat and some gases produced are then converted to usable energy like electricity and biogas.

There are different ways to manage the tons of waste produced at home and in the community. Some families make it a habit of segregating their trash in support of local ordinances that require every household to separate non-biodegradable from biodegradable garbage before collection. Some business establishments sell reusable shopping bags at a discounted price to lessen the use of paper bags. But have you ever wondered what will happen if these wastes are not managed well? What kind of waste materials may be reduced, reused, recycled, repaired, or recovered? Why is it important to practice the 5Rs in waste management?

Identifying Materials for 5Rs

Recognizing the different properties of the material will make it easier to identify which materials may be used for any of the 5R methods.

Durable materials are best to consider buying new products. Cloth bags used for shopping may be used several times without wearing away. By doing so, the use of plastics and paper bags to contain grocery items will be lessened.

Products contained in big, transparent containers such as plastic or glass bottles are also good to consider in reducing waste production. Products packed in big containers use less packaging than materials packed separately in small sachets. Therefore, buying these products minimizes the chances of adding more household waste. Transparent containers also allow you to see the contents of the product. This will prompt you to replenish its contents instead of buying a new one. Even if they are not transparent, some containers may still be refillable. You just need to check its content from time to time to know when to replenish it.

Worn-out clothes or those beyond repair may be reused instead of throwing them right away. Clothes, especially those that are made of cotton, are absorbent. Therefore, such materials may be converted to rags. Newspaper and utility bills may not be as absorbent as clothes, but they can be used to dry and wipe glass windows or glass panels.

Metal cans are mostly made of aluminum, which is malleable. They can be easily flattened into thin sheets. Since metals are malleable, it is easy for metals to be recycled into other useful materials. Recycling plants flatten metals into sheets and make them into new beverage cans, aluminum foil, pie pans, or even license plate frames. Pull tabs of soda cans are often collected and donated to recycling plants that make wheelchairs.

Biodegradable materials are objects that can be broken down or decomposed by microorganisms such as bacteria. Examples of such wastes are kitchen and garden wastes. They may be used in making compost. Other materials such as soiled paper, wood shavings, and shredded cardboard are also recyclable.

Damaged materials such as wooden furniture and electrical appliances may be repaired only if broken parts are replaceable or purchased elsewhere. Most electrical appliances are covered with warranties. This means that sellers assist in fixing the damaged appliance for a certain period. If the appliance was damaged beyond the warranty period, call a professional electrician to fix it.

What if the appliance is irreparable? You may not repair it, but you can sell some of its parts! Some working parts may be reused with other compatible appliances. If not, it can be sold to recycling plants to recover useful parts such as steel and iron.

Old furniture may be refurbished instead of replacing them right away. Some sofas, chairs, and beds may be upholstered to make them look new again. Broken wooden furniture may be fixed by replacing its broken part and making them sturdier. If wooden furniture cannot be fixed anymore, some of its parts may be used for other purposes. They can be made into hanging shelves, smaller tables or stools, or even fuel for cooking. The burnt wood may be used as charcoal too!

Waste materials that go to landfills are disposed of already after exhausting all efforts to reuse, recycle, or repair them. Such waste materials are covered with soil to speed up their decaying process. However, some waste materials that would take longer to decay are retrieved from the landfill and transferred to incinerators for burning. By doing so, the energy from such waste materials may be recovered once they are burnt.

There are many benefits to practicing the 5Rs in waste management. The reduced amount of waste materials produced in every household protects the environment. Proper waste management also provides an opportunity for people to save money, resources, and energy. In particular, it helps people to have an extra income through the different livelihood programs that involve recycling. Different useful products are created out of rubbish materials. What are some useful products that you can make out of recyclable materials?

Materials for Recycling

Plastic bottles are one of the many non-biodegradable trash that is fast accumulating in the environment. Since it is plastic in nature, it takes hundreds of years before it decays. Most often, it goes to the ocean and affects the lives of marine animals. But you can make something useful out of plastic bottles before throwing them.

One is by converting used plastic bottles to art installations such as Christmas trees. Wash the plastic bottles and cups and let them dry for a while. Afterward, you can arrange the bottles and attach them together according to your chosen product and design. These recycled materials may be used as an additional display at home. It will also lessen the expenses of buying home decors.

Another waste material that is easy to recycle is paper. Paper products may be converted to so many useful things. Below are some examples of products that can be made from paper.

Old newspapers may be rolled to make hard tubes. These paper tubes are weaved seamlessly to form the base and the sides of a basket. Paint or varnish is applied to its surface to ensure its durability.

Colorful magazines may be made into accessories like bracelets, earrings, or necklaces. Just cut the magazine into triangular strips and roll it on a toothpick or any slender stick. The size of the paper beads depends on the shape and size of the paper you are rolling. Apply glue to the surface of the rolled paper and let it dry for a while. You can also apply varnish to make it glossy. Remove it from the skewer and connect the paper beads together to make your own accessory.

Examples:

Plastic sachets are often discarded without realizing how else they can be made useful. In some communities, this trash is converted into bags. In fact, this product is even exported abroad because of its unique appearance and functionality. How can you make a bag out of plastic sachets?

First, collect enough plastic sachets for the size of the bag that you want to create. The number of plastic sachets needed depends on the size of the sachet and the size of the bag to be made. Then, clean the sachets thoroughly. Scrub it with soap and water especially if you got them from a trash bin. Cut a large slit at the bottom of each sachet to clean its inside. Set it aside and let it dry.

Once dry, flatten it by putting some heavy books on top of it. Let it stay for a few hours. While waiting, try to visualize or draw the design or shape of the bag that you want to create.

Get ready to sew the plastic sachets one by one. Place the one sachet to the side of another then stitch them together. Repeat the process until you achieve the size that you want for the body. Then, stitch some more sachets at the bottom part of the body to form its base. Add handles according to the length that you want. You can use old bag straps or used cloth strips to form a handle.