Ever wondered if the sticky stuff in your chewing gum is the same as the glue you use for crafts, like Fevicol? They both stick to things, so it’s easy to get confused. But guess what? They’re actually quite different! Let’s dive into the world of chewing gum and glue to find out why.
WHAT’S CHEWING GUM MADE OF?
Imagine you’re enjoying a piece of chewing gum. What makes it so chewy and fun? The secret lies in something called heteropolysaccharides -a fancy term for natural, plant-based sugars that are all linked together like a chain. These chains are what give chewing gum its stretchy, sticky texture. Think of it as nature’s way of making something that’s just the right amount of sticky and chewy!
WHAT ABOUT FEVICOL?
Now let’s talk about Fevicol, the glue that holds all your school projects together. Fevicol isn’t made from plants. Instead, it’s made from a man-made material called polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). This is a type of plastic that’s super sticky when wet, but when it dries, it hardens into a strong bond. Fevicol doesn’t get its stickiness from nature, but from science!
When you apply Fevicol, the liquid part (called a solvent) evaporates, leaving behind a strong adhesive layer that holds things together. That’s why it gets even stickier as it dries!
HOW DO THEY WORK?
- Chewing Gum: Made from natural plant-based sugars. Stays sticky and chewy, doesn’t dry out.
- Fevicol: Made from synthetic materials. Gets stickier and hardens as it dries.
So, while they might both be sticky, they work in totally different ways!
A NATURAL STICKY SUBSTANCE
Here’s a fun fact: some natural gums, like the one from almond trees, are made of 92.36% carbohydrates. That’s a lot of sugar! And it’s what makes these gums not just sticky but also useful in making things like chewing gum.
STICKY, BUT NOT THE SAME
To wrap things up, chewing gum and Fevicol might both be sticky, but they’re made from completely different ingredients and have different jobs. Gum is for chewing, and Fevicol is for sticking things together. Knowing what’s inside each one makes it easier to understand why they work the way they do.
