Thursday, March 4, 2010

Research on Materials and Sustainability

Types of Materials and their Properties
- Fabric > Soft and Insulating
- Nylon > Strong and Durable
- Mud and clay > Good thermal mass
- Rock > Good insulator
- Thatch > Good insulator
- Brush > Flexible, strong
- Ice > Flexible, strong
- Wood > Flexible, strong
- Concrete > Strong
- Metal > Strong, flexible, long-lasting, hard
- Glass > Hardest except for diamonds
- Plastic > Floats, can be soft or hard, long-lasting
- Cement Composites > Strong, hard, long-lasting
- Foam > Floats, can be hard of soft, thermal properties

Examples:
Fabric > Polar Fleece
Nylon > Clothing
Mud and clay > Therapeutic baths
Rock > Foundation for buildings
Thatch > Roofing
Brush > Paintbrush
Ice > Sculptures
Wood > Tables
Metal > Poles
Glass > Windows
Plastic > Telephone
Cement Composites > Flooring
Foam > Thermal usage (ice)

What does it mean by a sustainable environment? Give an example of one.

Sustainability is the capacity to endure. In ecology the word describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time. For humans it is the potential for long-term maintenance of wellbeing, which in turn depends on the wellbeing of the natural world and the responsible use of natural resources. An example is the long-lived and healthy wetlands and forests.
Cited from: www.wikipedia.org

What does it mean to have a sustainable product? Give an example of a sustainable product and state the reason.

It means that the product can be replenished at a faster or comparable rate than it is being consumed by the human population. It must be able to support sustainable development that is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It must at least support social, environmental or economical needs. These are the three pillars of sustainability. One sustainable product is newwater. It is a breakthrough for the process of desalination, and is a feasible and quality plan. It might develop more economical value when fresh water becomes scarce. This national tap of Singapore means that we will not meet a crisis when our neighbouring countries stop supplying water for us.

Cited from : www.wikipedia.org

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