GURUKUL HIGH SCHOOL ROLL NO:

CHAPTER 1: FIBRE TO FABRIC – SILK FIBRE

SOLUTION KEY
I. Name the following:
1. Protein
2. The process of taking out threads from the cocoons for use as silk is called reeling the silk.
3. The stage next to the caterpillar in the life cycle of the silk moth is called pupa.
4. Cocoon
5. More than that of 1000 feet (1000 to 1500 feet) continuous in length.
6. The larva (or caterpillar) of a silk moth makes the silk fibre
7. Sericulture.
8. Bombyx mori
9. Morus alba
II. Answer the following:
1. (a) Eggs of silk moth on mulberry leaves
(b) Silkworm
(c) Cocoon
(d) Cocoon with developing moth
2. Natural silk is obtained from the cocoons of silkworms and it is made up of a protein. Natural silk is an
animal fibre. Artificial silk is obtained from wood pulp and it is made up of modified plant material
‘cellulose’.
If we perform the burning test, then natural silk fibre burns to give a smell of burning hair while
artificial fibre burns to give a smell of burning paper
3. (e) Female silk moths lay eggs.
(a) Eggs are warmed to a suitable temperature for the larvae to hatch from eggs.
(d) The larvae/caterpillars or silkworms are kept in clean trays along with freshly chopped mulberry
leaves.
(c) After 25 to 30 days, the caterpillars stop N eating and start spinning cocoons
(f) Cocoons are kept under the sun or boiled in water.
(g) Fibres are taken out from the cocoon.
4.

Silk Wool

(i) Silk is smooth, soft and lustrous (i) Wool is dense, soft, curly, elastic and
resilient.

(ii) It is more sensitive to heat. (ii) It is less sensitive to heat.

(iii) It is made up of a protein called fibroin. (iii) It is made up of a protein called keratin.

(iv) It is the strongest natural fibre. (iv) It is stronger but less than silk.

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(v) Silk can be worn in both the hot and winter (v) Wool is worn only in the winter season
seasons. because it traps body heat
and keeps us warm.

5. (a) Silk is famous for its smooth and lustrous fibre which is also strong.
(b) Do it yourself.
(c) Hint: While selecting dress one should always keep in mind the advantages and disadvantages of
natural and synthetic fibres.

6. (a) 1.Wool industry: Anthrax or sorter’s disease

2. Silk industry: Infections, asthma and conjunctivitis
(b) Occupational hazards can be minimised by
1. taking precautions while handling animals like wearing gloves, mask, using disinfectants,
washing hands, etc.
2. having proper knowledge and awareness of signs and symptoms of diseases of humans and
animals.

7. The caterpillar eats day and night the leaves of mulberry tree and grows big in size whereas its skin
does not increase in size, shape or length. During the feeding period, a silkworm sleeps four times
(24 h each time) at intervals of six days.
While sleeping, its skin cracks and on awakening, the worm leaves the old skin and comes out in a new
one. So, it sheds skin and this phenomenon is called moulting. After the final moulting begins, the last
feeding period (of about ten days) after which the worm grows to its full size.

8. Artificial (synthetic) silk called rayon is obtained from wood pulp and it is made of modified plant
material cellulose. Synthetic silk can be prepared at a large scale in factories/mills. So, it is cheap.
For obtaining pure silk, we have to rear silk moth, their larvae to get pupa.
To get silk thread, we have to dip cocoon in hot water to get silk thread which is wrapped over the
cocoon. The pupa inside the cocoon dies. To obtain silk for commercial purposes, a large number of
cocoons (containing living pupa) are killed. As a result, natural silk is costly.

9. In first saree, one thread which burnt with a smell of burning hair is from pure silk, silk and hair are
protein fibres. So, on burning these threads, a smell of burning hair comes out. In second saree,
second thread which burnt with the smell of burning cotton and paper because cotton and paper both
are carbohydrates and on burning, they give similar smell.

10. Fibres and fabric play a large role in everyday applications. A fibre is a hair-like strand of material.
They are the smallest visible unit of a fabric and denoted by being extremely long in relation to their
width. Fibres can be spun into yarn and made into fabric. A single fibre is too weak to break but
when it once made a fabric it is difficult to tear. Fabric needs more energy to tear apart as compared
to a single fibre.

11. (a) Neha’s mother took a thread of natural silk fabric and another thread of artificial silk fabric and
burn them separately. The thread which burns giving a smell of burning hair will be natural silk (or

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GURUKUL HIGH SCHOOL ROLL NO:

pure silk). The thread which burns giving a smell a burning paper will be an artificial silk.
(b) Yes, pure silk saree is more costly than an artificial one.
III. MCQs
1. (d) Moth silk
2. (a) Woollen shawl
3. (c) cocoon
4. (b) Eggs→caterpillar→cocoon→pupa→ Adult moth
5. (d) Casting off of old skin
6. (d) All of these
7. (c) Inhalation of vapours from the boiling cocoons and the diesel used to run machines.

IV. Jumbled Words

(a) TURECULRISE - sericulture
(b) WILSMORK - silkworm
(c) BELMURRY - mulberry
(d) RINGLEE - reeling
(e) NOCOOC - cocoon

V. Fill in the blanks

(a) female/ adult
(b) eggs
(c) larvae
(d)caterpillars
(e) silkworms
(f) pupa
(g) cocoon

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