How rubber makes sports possible • Earth.com

How rubber makes sports possible

09-06-2017


Today’s Video of the Day comes from the American Chemical Society’s Reactions series and features a look at how rubber plays a crucial role in making sports possible.

Natural rubber actually comes from trees, but the downside is that it becomes stiff with cold temperatures and too fluid at hot temperatures. But in 1839, Charles Goodyear discovered that if you add sulfur to rubber, it causes a chemical reaction that forces polyisoprene chains to stay together. The result is the secret to the unique bouncy and stretchy properties of rubber.

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By Rory Arnold, Earth.com

Video Credit: American Chemical Society

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