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Mohan went to a cafe and ordered a soft drink. The waiter brought his order in a plastic glass with a plastic straw. Mohan, being environment friendly, is not happy as:
plastic glass and plastic straw spoils the taste of the drink
plastic glass and plastic straw is non biodegradable and persists in soil for a long time
a plastic glass and plastic straw does not add to the standard of the cafe
the plastic glass and plastic straw were not of his favourite colour
plastic glass and plastic straw is non biodegradable and persists in soil for a long time
Plastic is a synthetic polymer, primarily composed of long chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms, which are engineered for durability. Because natural decomposers like bacteria and fungi lack the enzymes to break down these complex, non-natural chemical bonds, plastic is non-biodegradable and persists in the environment for hundreds to thousands of years.
Plastic is a synthetic polymer, primarily composed of long chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms, which are engineered for durability. Because natural decomposers like bacteria and fungi lack the enzymes to break down these complex, non-natural chemical bonds, plastic is non-biodegradable and persists in the environment for hundreds to thousands of years.
If you throw an apple core in the garden, it disappears in weeks because nature 'eats' it; if you throw a plastic bag, it's like throwing a piece of metal that nature doesn't recognize as food, so it just sits there indefinitely.
CnтАЛH2nтАЛ тАФ General representation of polymer chains (e.g., Polyethylene)
The chemical stability of plastics arises from their strong covalent carbon-carbon bonds, which are highly resistant to chemical and biological degradation. Biological decomposition relies on microorganisms secreting enzymes to break down organic matter into simpler components; since plastic is largely synthetic, it cannot be processed by these biological pathways, leading to its accumulation in soil and water ecosystems.
Plastic polymers are made of stable covalent bonds.
Microorganisms lack enzymes to digest synthetic polymers.
Plastic pollution causes long-term ecological damage.
Biodegradation is the natural decay process, which plastic does not undergo.
Plastic is lightweight, cheap to produce, and waterproof.
High persistence in the environment leads to soil and marine pollution.
Microplastics can enter the food chain.
Food packaging
Consumer electronics
Medical devices
| Feature | Biodegradable | Non-Biodegradable |
|---|---|---|
Degradation Rate | Fast (Days/Months) | Very Slow (Centuries) |
Most single-use plastics are derived from petroleum products.
Option A is incorrect because plastic does not change the flavor chemistry. Option C refers to aesthetics, not environmental science. Option D is trivial and unrelated to scientific inquiry.
B is correct тАФ plastic glass and plastic straw is non biodegradable and persists in soil for a long time
Always link environmental questions back to the chemical stability of the material; non-biodegradability is almost always due to the lack of enzymatic breakdown pathways in nature.
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