Question map
Not attempted Correct Incorrect ★ Bookmarked
Loading…
Q33 (CDS-II/2025) Science & Technology › Basic Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) › Applied everyday chemistry Answer Verified

Why do plastics not degrade easily ?

Result
Your answer: —  Â·  Correct: B
Explanation

Plastics are synthetic polymers primarily composed of long chains of carbon atoms. The fundamental reason for their resistance to degradation is the presence of extremely strong covalent bonds within their C-C backbone [1]. These covalent bonds require significant energy to break, making the polymer structure highly resistant to natural processes such as biodegradation, hydrolysis, and thermal breakdown [3]. Unlike ionic compounds, which have different bonding characteristics, carbon-based polymers rely on these stable shared-electron bonds that microorganisms and environmental factors cannot easily disrupt [2]. While some plastics can be affected by solar radiation or specific chemical treatments, the inherent stability of the covalent molecular architecture ensures they persist in the environment for decades or even centuries [3]. Consequently, the lack of reactive sites and the strength of the covalent network prevent easy decomposition by biological or chemical means.

Sources

  1. [1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878535222005780
  2. [3] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11478708/
  3. [2] Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Carbon and its Compounds > 4.1 BONDING IN CARBON – THE COVALENT BOND > p. 59
How others answered
Each bar shows the % of students who chose that option. Green bar = correct answer, blue outline = your choice.
Community Performance
Out of everyone who attempted this question.
63%
got it right
✓ Thank you! We'll review this.

SIMILAR QUESTIONS

CDS-I · 2024 · Q56 Relevance score: 1.84

The use of plastics has led to a number of environment-related problems. For this, which one of the following statements is correct?

CAPF · 2012 · Q95 Relevance score: -1.09

In most of the children’s toys, a toxic chemical remains present. In this respect, which among the following statements is/are correct? 1. The name of the toxic element is phthalates which are esters of phthalic acid. 2. They are mainly used as plasticizers, i.e., substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility and longevity. 3. They are easily released into environment because there is no covalent bond between the phthalates and plastics in which they are mixed. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

NDA-II · 2016 · Q46 Relevance score: -3.21

Which one of the following statements is correct ?

IAS · 2021 · Q94 Relevance score: -3.88

Bisphenol A (BPA), a cause of concern, is a structural/key component in the manufacture of which of the following kinds of plastics?

CAPF · 2009 · Q120 Relevance score: -4.21

Assertion (A) : Import of Chinese toys was recently banned by the Government of India. Reason (R) : The plastic material used to make the toys are not biodegradable.