Fibers Science Olympiad

Cotton

Vegetable

-Most commonly used plant fiber, short fibers

-steady flame, smells like burning paper, leaves a charred, whitish ash

-irregular twisted ribbon

Wool

Animal

-Most commonly used animal fiber

-shrivels, brown-black residue, smells like burning hair

-cylinder with scales

Silk

Animal

-smoother than wool

-shrivels, leaves black residue, smells like burning hair

-thin, long, smooth cylinder

Linen

Vegetable

-fibers generally longer and smoother than cotton

-burns at a constant rate, doesn't produce smoke, smells like burning grass, produces sparks

-smooth, bamboo-like

Nylon

Synthetic

-long fibers

-curls, melts, black residue, smells like burning plastic, ignites only when brought into flame

-fine, round, smooth, translucent

Spandex

Synthetic

-can stretch to eight times its original length

-melts quickly

-flattened, ridged fibers, clustered

Polyester

Synthetic

-fibers can be any length

-melts, only ignites when in flame, drips when it burns and bonds to any surface it drips on, produces sweet odor, and hard, colored ash.

-completely smooth cylinder