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