Question

Where does rubber come from, and what methods could be employed for its collection?

A) Rubber comes from trees and methods employed for its collection are tapping and extraction.
B) Rubber comes from animals and methods employed for its collection are milking and processing.
C) Rubber comes from underground mines and methods employed for its collection are drilling and excavation.
D) Rubber comes from synthetic materials and methods employed for its collection are manufacturing and processing.

Answer 1

Rubber comes from the latex of the rubber tree, collected via tapping, and can be processed into natural or synthetic rubber. The development of synthetic rubber and vulcanization has greatly diversified its applications.

Step-by-step explanation:

Rubber primarily comes from the latex of the rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis, and is collected through a method known as tapping. This process involves making incisions into the tree's bark and allowing the latex to flow into collecting vessels. Later, the collected latex can coagulate in the cup or be refined for commercial processing into dry forms of natural rubber, which are classified as elastomers due to their elastic properties.

One of the critical historical aspects of rubber collection involved the exploitation of laborers in the Congo Free State, where workers gathered rubber under harrowing conditions. However, the increasing demand for rubber led to the development of synthetic rubber, utilizing polymers synthesized from petroleum byproducts as an alternative material.

In addition, rubber utilization has innovated recycling methods, such as transforming used tires into materials for the construction industry. Another notable advancement is the vulcanization process, which enhances rubber's properties by adding sulfur, thus creating durable materials used in various products, including tires and industrial belts.