Question

If you are given two sample pieces of cloth made of synthetic silk and natural silk which look the same; which among the following tests would you employ to find which silk is natural and which one is synthetic?

• A. Put the cloth in water
• B. Feel the texture of cloth
• C. Burn and smell the fumes
• D. It is impossible to find out

Answer 1

Answer: (B), (C)

The correct options are
B

Feel the texture of cloth

C

Burn and smell the fumes

Synthetic and natural silk can have different textures. However, this is not always reliable. Burning the natural silk produces ash and no chemical odour is observed.

But when we burn the synthetic silk then it melts and leaves behind a plastic bead like residue along with the characteristic smell of chemicals.

So both feeling of texture or burning and smelling of fumes can be used to distinguish between natural and artificial silk.