I probably use a computer every single day. In fact, most people do. That is why I chose to examine some of the materials and manufacturing processes that go into making a LCD computer monitor.
As you can see almost half of the monitor's total weight comes from steel. Modern steel is composed primarily of Iron and Carbon. To extract iron from the ground requires heavy mining equipment and converting the raw iron into steel requires smelting facilities.
Plastics such as Polycarbonate make up nearly a third of the total mass. These plastics are the results of various chemical compounds and serve many purposes. For example Polycarbonate is used for both its protective applications and as an insulator while Poly (methyl methacrylate)(PMMA) is used as a lightweight alternative to glass. These various plastics serve as parts of the monitor housing and as internal components.
Glass screens were the standard for older models of computers however most modern LCD screens use a combination of glass and plastics. This lowers the overall weight of the product and allows for a thinner screen. The specialty glass used in most electronic devices comes from specialty Silicon glass manufacturing plants. This specialty glass can be used for the touch sensitive screens and buttons on most phones.
In addition to creating glass, Silicon is used in circuit boards due to its natural conductivity.
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