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The theater is full of polymers. I mean, if it weren't for polymers, our movie-going experience would not be the same at all. Here we will show you some of the ordinary polymers that make going to the theater special. There are some unexpected surprises just inside the theater doors. |
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So what about all that overpriced food we buy at the movies? We're pretty sure that it has some kinds of polymers in it. The protein in those $3.00 hot dogs is a polymer (but don't eat the hot dog in our picture. It's made with a teflon molecule because all the protein molecules were way too big, and this one just happened to be bun length). Another polymer in food is gelatin, which is used in candy like "Twizzlers" or "Jujyfruits." There is also paraffin in chocolates like Hershey bars and Junior Mints; this is the same wax that is used to coat the paper cups. It is often used in chocolate to make it easier to form and less likely to melt in your hand or pocket.
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And some of us are under the suspicion that the butter stuff on the popcorn might be a polymer too, but this has yet to be proved. We do know for sure that the starch in the popcorn is a polymer. Either way, we're all eating polymers at the movies... Hey, what about that so-called "cheese" on the nachos?!
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We've all been stuck to the floor at the movies before. Now there are growing speculations about the make-up of and uses for the stuff on the floor. Scientists at Polydelphia Labs have found the composition of the sticky residue on the cinema floor to consist of soda, chocolate, oily butter stuff, Milk Duds and Skittles. The years of grinding and stomping, and friction of the shoes of theater patrons, plus the qualities of the oily butter stuff, have caused a crosslinking phenomenon which is yet to be understood, the result of which is an adhesive polymer which does not degrade but only grows stronger over time. They are considering this as an adhesive for the insulation tiles on the space shuttle as well as a replacement for the adhesive used on that incredibly useful polymer invention, duct tape. This stuff is also being considered as a new "super-glue," one that smells more like candy than chemicals.
Of course, all that isn't really true. In fact, we are still just as much "in the dark" as the rest of you theater-goers about that sticky goo on the floors. Maybe someday polymer scientists will figure out what to do with it. Until then, we can tell you this for sure: the floor itself is made of polymers, most likely some kind of carpet made from nylon or linoleum tiles which are made from PVC plastic. And, as you can see, the Macroplex floor is very clean, free of all mystery goo.
Special thanks to Turtle Creek Theater for the chance to take lots of neat pictures in their theater, and to Rich Burrows at Da-Lite Screen company for his information on movie screens, and Greg Brust for assistance with identifying many of the polymers mentioned here.