Everything around us is made from materials. A pencil, a shirt, a spoon and a window are all made from different materials. But where do these materials come from?
The four basic sources
All materials come from four basic sources. Each source gives us different materials we use every day.
- Plants give us cotton, wood, paper and rubber.
- Animals give us wool, silk, leather and honey.
- Rocks and minerals give us metals, glass and sand.
- Petroleum (crude oil) gives us plastic and petrol.
Key idea
Materials come from four basic sources: plants, animals, rocks and minerals, and petroleum.
Why does it matter?
Knowing the source helps us choose the right material. A cotton shirt comes from a plant and feels soft and cool. A metal spoon comes from rocks and does not melt when we stir hot soup. Some materials come from only one source, but many things we use every day are made by putting materials from different sources together.
Example
A wooden chair comes from a plant (a tree). A plastic bottle comes from petroleum. A leather shoe comes from an animal.
Remember
- Plants and animals are living sources.
- Rocks, minerals and petroleum are non-living sources.