Editing Vanishing Peanuts (section)

== Why This Works ==

Styrofoam<sub>©</sub>, or polystyrene, is a type of plastic that we often use in packing materials. It is filled with tiny bubbles so that it can better absorb pressure, and protect the items it is packed around. Polystyrene is between 90% and 95% air, so it can be hard to recycle it if the container holding it is, essentially, only 5-10% filled. Like all plastics, polystyrene is a ''Polymer'', which means that the molecules in it are all connected to each other like a long string or a really big net. However, polystyrene is soluble in acetone. ''Soluble'' means that a molecule or compound will dissolve into a liquid, like salt or sugar dissolving in water. Since polystyrene is a polymer, however, the long strings don't want to separate fully into the acetone. Instead, they loosen up and let the air escape, which we hear as the fizzing sound, and will try to stick together without fully dissolving, which is why we get the blob. As the blob dries out, our polystyrene will harden again, only this time it won't have any air pockets and becomes a hard, stiff plastic. If we had a figurine mold or a serving utensil mold, it could be made into one of those! This is one of the ways we can recycle polystyrene, and help prevent it from filling up landfills.

The cornstarch peanuts are another way to look at reducing our use of plastic. Cornstarch peanuts are water soluble, so they will dissolve into water when they get wet. This means they will break down quickly if they end up in a landfill, and be much better for the environment! Cornstarch can behave like a polymer, but if it is dissolved it separates fully, since the bonds between the molecules aren't very strong.