Food Packaging Technology Multiple Choice Questions & Answers (MCQs) on “Paper Basics”.
1. The fibrous raw material for production of paper is called _______
a) Pulp
b) Hemicellulose
c) Cellulose
d) Lignin
Answer: a
Clarification: Pulp is the fibrous raw material for the production of paper, paperboard, corrugated board and similar manufactured products. It is obtained from plant fiber and is therefore a renewable resource.
2. Paper derives its name from _________
a) Papyres
b) Pyrus
c) Palpable
d) Papyrus
Answer: d
Clarification: Paper derives its name from the reedy plant papyrus, which the ancient Egyptians used to produce the world’s first writing material by beating and pressing together thin layers of the plant stem.
3. Which of the following is not a constituent of the wood cell wall?
a) Cellulose
b) Pectin
c) Hemicellulose
d) Lignin
Answer: b
Clarification: Pectin is not a constituent of the wood cell wall. It is a heteropolysaccharide present in primary cell walls of plants. It is responsible for the structural integrity of the cell. There are three main constituents of the wood cell wall – Cellulose, Hemicellulose and Lignin.
4. Paper greater than _______ g/m2 is called paperboard.
a) 200g/m2
b) 100g/m2
c) 500g/m2
d) 300g/m2
Answer: a
Clarification: Paper greater than 200g/m2 (GSM) is called paperboard, as defined by ISO. GSM- Gram per square meter is used to express the amount of fiber. Paperboard is thicker than paper and has a higher weight per unit area.
5. _______ refers to the process wherein wood or other fibrous raw materials are reduced to a fibrous mass.
a) Pulping
b) Forming
c) Sheeting
d) Draping
Answer: a
Clarification: Pulping refers to the process wherein wood or other fibrous raw materials are reduced to a fibrous mass. Pulping is done to separate the fibers without damaging them so that they can then be reformed into a paper sheet in the papermaking process.
6. Hardwood fibers are longer than that of softwood fibers.
a) True
b) False
Answer: b
Clarification: The given statement is false. Softwood Hardwood fibers are longer than that of hardwood fibers. Compared to hardwoods, softwoods have fibers that are generally up to 2.5 times longer. As a result, hardwoods produce a finer, smoother but less strong sheet.
7. Hardwood has more amount of cellulose and hemicellulose present in it.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The given statement is true. Hardwood has more amount of cellulose and hemicellulose present in it. Hardwood has about 45% cellulose and 30% hemicellulose, whereas, softwood has about 42% cellulose and 27% hemicellulose.
8. ________ expresses the lignin content of pulp.
a) Beta number
b) Gamma number
c) Kappa number
d) Alpha number
Answer: c
Clarification: Kappa number expresses the lignin content of pulp. A high kappa number indicates a high lignin content. The kappa number of bleachable softwood and hardwood pulps is 30–40 and 18–20 respectively.
9. When was the first authentic paper made?
a) 250 AD
b) 100 AD
c) 105 AD
d) 500 AD
Answer: c
Clarification: The first authentic papermaking, which is the formation of a cohesive sheet from the rebonding of separated fibers, has been attributed to Ts’ai-Lun of China in 105 AD, who used bamboo, mulberry bark and rags.
10. The principal hemicelluloses is glucomannon in hardwoods.
a) True
b) False
Answer: b
Clarification: The given statement is false. The principal hemicelluloses are xylan in hardwoods and glucomannon in softwoods.
11. ________ has no fiber forming properties.
a) Lignin
b) Cellulose
c) Hemicellulose
d) Glucose
Answer: a
Clarification: Lignin has no fiber-forming properties. This is the natural binding constituent of the cells of wood and plant stalks. It is a highly branched, three-dimensional (3D), alkylaromatic, thermoplastic polymer of uncertain size, built up largely from substituted phenylpropane or propylbenzene units.
12. ______ is lower MW mixed-sugar polysaccharides.
a) Lignin
b) Cellulose
c) Hemicellulose
d) Glucose
Answer: c
Clarification: Hemicellulose is lower MW mixed-sugar polysaccharides, consisting of one or more of the following molecules: xylose, mannose, arabinose, galactose and uronic acids, with the composition differing from species to species.
13. ________ mainly determines the paper properties.
a) Lignin
b) Cellulose
c) Hemicellulose
d) Glucose
Answer: c
Clarification: Hemicellulose mainly determines the paper properties. Hemicelluloses are largely responsible for hydration and development of bonding during beating of chemical pulps.
14. ______ is the natural binding constituent of the cells of wood and plant stalks.
a) Lignin
b) Cellulose
c) Hemicellulose
d) Glucose
Answer: a
Clarification: Lignin is the natural binding constituent of the cells of wood and plant stalks. It is a highly branched, three-dimensional (3D), alkylaromatic, thermoplastic polymer of uncertain size, built up largely from substituted phenylpropane or propylbenzene units. Hydroxyl or methoxyl groups are attached to the benzene carbon atoms.
15. _______ softens at 160°C.
a) Pectin
b) Hemicellulose
c) Cellulose
d) Lignin
Answer: d
Clarification: Lignin softens at 160°C. It is because of its densely branched structure. Also, it doesn’t have fiber forming properties adhering to the same reason.