Rubber

Materials fact file

Natural rubber is

made from the milky

sap called latex of

certain plants.

However, most of

Earth's natural rubber

is made out of the

rubber tree. Its

scientific name is

'Hevea Brasiliensis'.

Rubber trees can

be up to 40 metres

tall and they grow

taller in the wild

than on plantations!

Workers cut a slit at

the bottom of the bark and then they place a container below it so it can collect the latex.

Rubber is made into many

things such as erasers, car

tyres and shoe soles. Some

latex is made into medical

gloves. The rubber tree's

seeds make oil that is used

in soap, paint, varnishes

and insect repellent.

Till the early 20th century rubber trees were the

only thing that could be used to make rubber but

in 1910 a scientist found out how to make human-

made rubber. Synthetic rubber is made out of

certain chemicals.

by Eleni Vella, Year 5.3